War For Mobius
by TheRedAuthar
Summary: Mobius used to be a fun and cool place to live, but that was in the past. The Evil Doctor Ivo Robotnik Changed all that. He swept in and took Mobius by force. Only one group stands a chance of stopping him. War for Mobius is a retelling/reboot of the Sonic Game Franchise. The story takes in elements from the Sonic Games, Comics, and Cartoons.
1. Chapter 1 Hard Contact

_**S**_**onic**_** t**_**he**___**H**_**edgehog**

_**War for Mobius**_

ACT ONE  
Rise of Freedom

**Chapter 1**

No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Sally was relearning this the hard way.

The plan had been to sneak into Robotnik's "Crabmeat" factory and destroy it. The method of destruction were special bombs carefully crafted by the team inventor Rotor. The bombs had been specially designed to knock out all nearby electronics and computers allowing for the team to escape without harm. The bombs were costly to make, requiring the team to also raid Robotnik's nearby storehouse for supplies. That became the main target. The bombs could be saved for later missions.

Least that was the plan. The bombs now sit unused before the SWATbots that had been placed in charge of guard duty. Sally wished the 'bot would be dumb enough to detonate the explosives in its contemptable face. However that was not likely to happen.

The infernal storehouse had twice the guards then that which had been expected. Worse, they had been at high alert by the time the Freedom Fighters had showed up. The Knothole Freedom Fighters were quickly round up and now stood as prisoners of the heartless machines.

"Resistence is futile, surender or be exterminated!" the SWATbot Commander ordered the rebels. Sally look about her Freedom Fighters. Rotor was mostly unharmed, the Walrus seemed more ruffed up then hurt. A few new cuts a bruises shown upon him but he was alright. Antoine too seemed alright. The coyote had taken upon himself to hide behind the medical kit as the firefight, if you could call it that, began. Though Antoine was a coward he had "bravely" volunteered for this mission, to protect Sally. Fat lot of good it really did. Sometimes Sally wonders if it's worth having Antoine on the team, other times she's proud to work along side him. Right now it's one of the wondering times.

The last two members of the team, Johnny Lightfoot and Bunnie Rabbot don't seem to have faired as well. Johnny had been acting as a scout and had gone ahead. Apparently the SWATbots had been expecting him and had laid a trap for him. Johnny was one of the fastest runners, if not the fastest, in all of the Knothole Freedom Fighters. Sally had hoped to send him in as a scout and he'd be in and out before the 'bots would even notice. Instead he now sports a blackeye for that attempt and perhaps a bruised ego. He helps Bunnie remain on her feet. Bunnie's leg had been blasted by a "warning shot from one of the SWATbots, and was now in bad shape. Sally wondered if the damage was repairable, but until either NICOLE or Rotor had a chance to look at it. Sally hoped her friend wouldn't have to pay for her bad planning again.

During a mission a while back, Sally "goofed" and Bunnie payed for it dearly. She now sports a Robotic Arm, as well as two Robotic Legs. Though Bunnie never blamed Sally for it, Sally has yet to forgive herself for the mistake.

With the shape that the team is in now they don't have much of a chance of escape, but surrender was out of the question. It was unlikely that Robotnik would go easy on her friends. Robotization was their likely fate. Sally looks around again, hoping for some sort of plan to come to her or some way to escape. Things looked pretty grim.

"Prisoners have been fully identified. Rotor Walrus, Military Cadet Antoine Depardieu D'Coolette, Bunnie Rabbot, Johnathan Lightfoot," one of the SWATbots finally speaks, "and Princess Sally Acorn."

"Contact Doctor Robotnik immediately." The SWATbot Commander orders, he then turns to the Freedom Fighters, "Prisoners will board the hover pod." Bunnie responds by making a very un-ladylike gesture. The SWATbot Commander does not react to it. Instead the Freedom Fighters are roughly herded on board the transport. They look to Sally for advice but she has none to give. She wants to tell them something but can't. She slowly heads on board the craft, briefly pausing to shield herself from those spontaneous busts of wind.

Wind? Wait a minute. She looks around again. She had noticed them but hadn't acknowledged them till now. There has been brief gusts of wind whiping by in bizarre patterns for the last few minutes. Not only was the pattern weird but briefly she could almost make out a blue streak within them. And to top it all off they were getting more and more frequent. Almost as if...

One of the SWATbots is sent flying by the gust of wind. Then another one was smashed into the pod. Finally the wind stops in the middle of the group. Not wind, but a Mobian, a blue Hedgehog.

"Has anyone ever told you 'bots that you are ugly and you dress funny?"


	2. Intro

**Sonic the Hedgehog: War for Mobius**

Act 1: Rising Hope

_By TheRedAuthar_

(Note: The Following is an Introduction to the Fan Fiction, and does not further the plot. If you want to skip over this section, you are more than welcome to as you will not miss any key points to the story.)

Hello and welcome to _War for Mobius_, a Sonic the Hedgehog Fan Fiction by TheRedAuthar.

War for Mobius (WfM for short) is a Multi-Act Story (sorta like a Sonic Game), each featuring its own chapters, that basically reboots the Sonic the Hedgehog Franchise. The project takes elements and characters from the Sonic Games, Comics, and Animated Series. My goal was to take the pieces of each universe that I liked and merge them all into one, adding my own flare of course, as it is a Fan Fiction.

The Fan Fiction loosely follows the Plot of the Games but features elements and characters from the Archie Comics and SatAM animated series. It also features some characters and elements from Sonic Underground, Sonic the Comic, and even the OVA. Also included are some Original Characters, however for the most part, they play a secondary role, not being the focus of the main storyline. Some of these characters I have created while others were created by internet friends of mine (such as Ben the Wolf, Zane Kalzier the Overlander, and Drake Matthews the Dog). I'm willing to add in other Original Characters IF and ONLY IF I find the character interesting enough to include. (If you're interested in getting one of your OCs included as a cameo or background character, you can Message me.)

_War for Mobius_ also features some Side Stories which expand on the universe but does not further the main storyline, though it can influence some of the happenings. If you're interested in seeing more of what War for Mobius has to offer, you can also read _War for Mobius Side Stories. _


	3. Chapter 2 True Blue

**CHAPTER 2:**

"Let me be the first, you're ugly, and ya smell funny!" Sonic Hedgehog laughs at his own joke.

"Hedgehog! Priority One!" The Commander 'bot shouts to his companions. The mobians look at each other trying to figure out what the chrome domes meant. Sonic gives them a thumbs up.

"While I distract thes dumb-bots, you guys head for cover!" Almost as if on cue, the 'bots fire at Sonic, however by the time the wrist lasers reach where he was standing he has already moved. "You're too slow!" he calls from on the otherside of the SWATbots. They turn around but again he's moved, and their shots are wasted, well as wasted as a laser bolt can be.

"If you guys were smart as well as you shoot...you guys would still be braindead." Sonic moves in front of the Commander. "Tell you what, I'll stand right here and give you a free shot. Come on, what are you waiting for?" The SWATbots fire, and once again Sonic moves out of the way before the shots hit him. This time the shots blast the Commander 'bot leaving him in pieces.

Sonic repeats the process until there is only one 'bot left standing. Sonic pauses in front of this one as well. "What is it going to be tex?"

"Priority one, capture the Hedgehog!"

"Okay, your funeral." Sonic charges at the mechanicle man. The SWATbot moves it's arms up to block Sonic, but the Hedgehog leaps over it. Sonic then makes a mad dash for the crate of explosives. Grabbing one of the bombs, Sonic then heads back to the 'bot and straps the home-made explosive on the Robot's back just as it finally manages to compute Sonic's attack isn't comming. The Hedgehog isn't finished though. He grabs ahold of the dumb-bot and drags it towards the factory. "Better grab your supplies quickly!" Sonic shouts out to the mobians.

As the Hedgehog blasts off towards the Crab-meat factory, Rotor heads for the opens the door to the store-house. "Hurry guys! Before more 'bots show up!"

"But what about the-" Bunnie starts, but is cut off by Rotor.

"I'm sure he can take care of himself."

"Still I think we should send someone to help him," Sally disagrees, "Perhaps Johnny you could..."

"Already on it Sal" Johnny replies. He grabs some more explosives and heads off after the hedgehog. Rotor pulls out his list.

"First we need to find a way to transport the supplies. Then we need to load it up." Rotor looks around the store-house. He notices a small cart. "That should work."

The Freedom Fighters begin loading the supplies into the cart, "I hope he's okay..." Sally worries aloud.

"Don't worry, Johnny will be back before you know it," Rotor smiles.

"I...of course. Johnny." Sally quickly gets back to work.

"You didn't mean..."

"Why would I be thinking about-"

"Maybe it's my Hedgehog Good Looks," Sonic smirks.

The Freedom Fighters are surprised to see Sonic and Johnny back already. Sonic just smiles. "Need anything else?"

"We need to get these supplies back to Knothole," Rotor explains pushing the cart over to Sonic.

"Knothole? What's Knothole?"

"The Hidden Village we use as our base of-" Rotor starts but then stops. He then shakes his head, "Too risky to talk about here. 'Bots might be listening in.

"If ya'll done, can we get this show on the road?" Bunnie querries of the group.

* * *

After what seems like an enternity of sneaking, Sonic finds himself in the Great Forest. Sonic shrugs and turns to his new found friends, "You telling me there is a hidden village here? I hate to break it to ya, but I've run all through these woods and not seen any sign of a village."

"Good. We would hope it wasn't that easy to find," The, well quite frankly attractive, leader of the group, who the others call Sally, boasts.

Sally...

Sonic swears he heard that name before. Now Sally could be a common name, Sonic was no expert, but something keeps nagging at him that he should know this girl. Like he seen her before or something.

Sonic shakes his head to break the train of thought. There'd be time to worry about that later. The Hedgehog had been on his own for a bit now, and he was just happy to have other mobians about. He hadn't been alone for too long but still. He really missed...

He shakes his head again. Best not think of the past.

"Something wrong?" Sally asks.

"Just a little bit of impatience," Sonic lies, "I hate going this slow." Well have a lie. He does hate going this slow. Seriously, pick up the pace! This trip has, what, taken an hour already? Only an hour? Really? It seemed like forever.

More hours seem to pass. At first Sonic thought it was because he was impatient, but he quickly catches on that they were purposely going slow. Well not exactly, but they were taking their time to cover their tracks and hide the route they were taking. In fact, Sonic had gotten so bored with the journey he stopped paying attention to where they were. He might not be able to find this place again.

Eventually the group comes up to a rather large stump. Laying near the stump is what appears to be the tree that once proudly stood on top. Another helpless victim to the man who caused all these problem perhaps?

While Sonic thinks he realizes the group has stopped again. He is about to protest until Rotor, the walrus, lifts up the top of the stump. Sonic moves back to the stump and looks in. A tunnel! Of course! This is why he never found Knothole, it was hidden...in this stump? No way. That's just silly. Was the whole village underground?

"Sonic was it?" Sally addresses him, "You must promise not to tell anyone what you see here. No matter what."

"Sure, no prob."

"I mean it"

"Okay, okay. I promise not to tell anyone. Sheesh."

"It's a matter of life and death for the whole planet."

"Alright! Are you gonna show me or not?"

Satisfied, at least for the moment, Sally hops into the stump. The coyote in the blue military jacket follows. Rotor gestures for Sonic to follow, "Hurry. We're going to take the supplies through the other enterance." Sonic shrugs and complies. Normally he'd ask, but his patience had been worn thin already, and he was itching to see this village.

Inside the stump was a long slide. It was too dark to see if the insides were natural or constructed by hand. Probably to hide the enterance during the night. Sonic let the smooth slide guide him to where ever his destination lies. Heck, it was a pretty fun ride.

Sonic see's a light at the end of the tunnel, "Hope that's not a train." Sonic shakes his head, and hopes no one heard that comment, it was really lame. He pops out into the light and lands in a large pile of staw.

Sally is standing near by and reaches her hand out to him to help him up. "No it's not a train. Welcome to Knothole."


	4. Chapter 3 Knothole

Chapter 3

Sonic looks around. He shook his head. How in the world did he miss this place? He had been up and down The Great Forest many times over, but he had never even seen this village, yet here it was, as plain as the nose on his Hedgehog face. He looks back at Sally.

"Well everyone is wrong every now and then."

"Cute," Sally smiles, her hands resting on her hips, not buying his bluff at all, "Now do you want me to give you the Royal Tour?"

"Royla Tour?" Sonic's stomach growls rather loudly, "Meh, how about we grab a bite first?"

"Alright. We do have a few different eateries here in Knothole. What are you hungry for?"

"Chili Dogs," Sonic replies rather quickly. He shows

"Sure follow me."

* * *

Sally didn't know if she should be impressed or sick to the stomach. How can anyone eat that many chili dogs?

"You gonna eat that?" Sonic asks pointing to the Chili Dog on Sally's plate. Actually, after watching the Hedgehog devour 10 Chili Dogs that fast, she wasn't sure she was ever going to eat Chili Dogs again.

"Uh...no, help yourself."

"Thanks," Sonic grabs and swallows the Dog before Sally can even blink. He then lets out a rather loud, foul smelling, belch, "Ah, I sure was hungry."

"Ugh. That is so gross!"

"Nuh-uh," Sonic shakes his head, "it's cool."

"No it's disgusting!" Sally corrects, but the Hedgehog won't buy it.

"In your opinion. Some places believe it to be a compiment."

"Is that so? Where in all of Mobius is it a compliment?"

"Well..." Sonic thinks for a moment, "I really don't know."

"I rest my case."

"Whatever. You were paying for this right?"

"I never said that!"

"Yeah, but I never said I had any money either"

* * *

After convincing the elderly store owner that she would pay him back later, Sally finally steps back outside the large wooden hut that is used as a resturaunt, noting to herself that she would never go to lunch with the Hedgehog again, "Ready for the tour?"

"I think it'll be faster if I go about it on my own," Sonic explains, as he stretches his legs for a run. "No offence."

"On your own?"

"Yeah. At my own pace, which is literally quite fast," the Hedgehog boasts.

"Well," Sally worries for a minute on what kind of chaos he could unleash on his own, "alright. Just one thing. We're having a meeting in the large red hut in the center of Knothole. Meet us there at 7."

"7, got it," Sonic nods, "Catch you later. GOTTA JUICE!"

The blue hedgehog dashes off. From 0 to scootin' and routin' in no time flat.

* * *

The meeting was scheduled to start exactly at seven. However the blue hedgehog had five minutes left and he was no where to be seen. Sally considers delaying the meeting briefly for him, but decides against it. The Freedom Fighters have more important worries then if their guest showed up or not. Rotor comes in to check on her.

"Everyone is here except Sonic, Sal." Rotor points out. Sally just shrugs.

"We'll just have to start without him," Sally declares.

"Alright," Rotor sighs, "if that's the way you want it."

"Not how I want it," Sally corrects, "how we'll have to do it." Rotor nods and heads to his wooden chair around the large meeting table. Sally opens a small computer and looks over the meeting one last time, "Ready NICOLE?"

"Ready Sally," the computer assures her.

She then takes a deep breath and heads on out to the table.

Sally knocks on the wooden table to attract the attention of her fellow Freedom Fighters, "I call this meet-"

Suddenly there is a large gust of wind and the paper packets containing the meeting infomration on the Table go flying everywhere as Sonic makes a mad dash into the seat reserved for him. The Freedom Fighters all turn and look at him.

"What?" Sonic shrughs looking back at the others, "You said at seven. So here I am"

"Cutting it kind of close don't you think?" Sally asks him picking up some of the papers.

"Hey, if you wanted me here earlier say so" Sonic shrugs again, "Well let's start, you're a minute late now."

"Yes of course," Sally exclaims as she hands off the packets to the Rabbit who takes one and passes it along. "Fellow Freedom Fighters, I'd like to introduce you all to Sonic-"

"Sonic Hedgehog is the name and speed is my game!" Sonic interupts, never missing a chance to show off.

"Yes," Sally tries not to frown at the interuption and returns to her chair, standing behind it resting her hands on its back, "and-"

"I was the one who saved the team that went out to Robotropolis today," Sonic butts in again, putting his feet up on the table, "and then we trashed the factory."

"Yes thank you Soni-"

"It was quite the explosion. You should have seen the fi-"

"Would you be so kind as to stop interupting the Princess so we can get on the meeting!?" the uniformed Coyote growls at Sonic.

Sonic's chair falls over backwards. The Princess?!

"Thank you Antoine," Sally sighs sitting back down in her chair, "but I can handle it."

"It is my duty to assist you my princess," Antoine assures her, "even if you do not wish it."

"Antoine, please stop calling me that," Sally rubs her hand over her face finally sitting back down. It was going to be a very long meeting, "And it is not your job to assist me in everything I do."

"Technically that's Bunnie's job," Rotor adds.

"Rotor, you're not helping," Sally turns to look at him.

"Sorry."

Sonic tries setting his chair back up only to find one of the wooden legs has become loose and won't hold. While nobody is paying attention, he swaps the chair out for the uniformed coyote's. When the coyote sits back down the leg breaks off and the coyote falls over backward. Everyone busts out laughing except the coyote and the Princess who only barely manages to cover her smile. She then clears her throat.

"Now that our 'enterteinment' is out of the way, let's get down to business," She rises back up, "As pointed out before, Sonic here is new, so I'd like to start off by introducing ourselves. I'm am Princess Sally Acorn of the Kingdom of Acorn. And I lead the Knothole Freedom Fighters agains Doctor Robotnik."

Sally then holds up her small computer, "And this is NICOLE. Our Artificial Intellegence. She helps design our plans and allows us to hack into Robotnik's computers when we're given the opportunity to do so."

After the Princess sits herself back down, Rotor, the Walrus rises. He takes of the yellow baseball cap he and runs a hand over the top of his head nervously, "I'm Rotor, I'm the tech guy around here. I sometimes also help Sally with the stratedgies. I make most of the equipment we take into the field." He sits back down and the next one rises.

"Ya'll can call me Bunnie. I'm am Sally's lady in waiting and bodyguard. I also have a personal score to settle with that snake Ro-butt-nik," she holds up her cybernetic arm to emphasize the point. Sonic briefly catches Sally look away at that exact moment.

The next to rise is uniformed coyote, "I am Antoine Depardieu D'Coolette, Captain of the Princess's Royal Guard!" He raises his sword up in the air to add dramatic effect. A wolf sporting a black mowhawk across the table smirks at Antoine's comment.

"Acting Captain of the Guard, CADET D'Coolette."

"How dare you dirtify my honor!" Acting-Captain-of-the-Guard Antoine snaps back, shaking his fist to emphasize his point at the wolf.

"You mean soiled your honor, Antoine," Rotor corrects, not doing a very good job of hiding his smile.

"Oui, putting the soil on my honor!" Antoine amends nodding. Both the wolf and Rotor let out a sigh. The wolf then stands.

"My name is Ben, I'm a scout," he proudly explains, "I also help out with whatever tasks I can." He Returns to his chair and another Rabbit rises from his seat.

"I'm called Johnny Lightfoot, I'm the fastest member of the team," he smiles proudly, "well, used to be."

Sonic looks up, "Used to be?" They couldn't mean...

As the next, a rather nice dressed Penguin, rises to introduce himself, Sonic looks at the faces of the worn and torn group of freedom figthers. Even the uniformed Acting-Captain-of-the-Guard's proudly pressed and polished uniform looks a bit worn and patched. He could tell they've been at it for a while, and they'd be at it a while longer. Willing to die for their cause. Which many of them would...

Or worse.

"My name is Tux Dresswell of the Dresswell family. When the reasorces are available, I design the uniforms and clothing articles for the team," the penguin beams. By the looks of him he doesn't look like he sees a lot of the action, but Sonic knows that is one of the reason he worries the most. Any mistakes he makse could be the end of one of his tired commrads. It's the same worry he saw on the face of the walrus who claimed to be the tech behind the team.

The same look the Princess made when Bunnie talked about her robotic parts.

The next one to rise is an older gentleman, "You can call me Cat. I'm not as young as the rest fo the team, but sometimes that is also my greatest strength." By now they've gone around the entire wooden table, which Sonic notices looks just as worn and beat up as the people seated around it. Sonic removes his feet from it.

Princess Acorn rises again, "There are more members that aren't here because of their jobs or their rank, but there are enough here to approve." Oh no...they were... "Sonic Hedgehog, we would like you to join us, the Knothole Freedom Fighters. You'll be given a home here a Knothole and be entitled to all our reasources."

Sonic decides it's his turn to stand. He takes one look at his final long look at the smiling and expecting faces of the freedom fighters. He sighs.

"I want to thank you all for considering me for this," he watches the smile fade from the Princess's face. She know what he's getting at, "However I will not be joining you."

Silence fills the room. None of the mobians speak. None can think of what to say.

Finally Sally breaks the Silence, her voice carries a bit of sorry but also a large bit of irritation, "Why not? It would be smarter to pool our reasources!"

"Look, you're a great bunch of guys but all you're gonna do is get yourselves killed," the Hedgehog shakes his head.

"Look just because you saved-"

"That's exactly my point! You got lucky today," Sonic interupts correcting Sally, "You won't get luck every time."

"Sonic Hedgehog, I'll have you know we've been fighting Robotnik long before we met you!"

"Look Princess, I know you mean well but look at your freedom fighters!" Sonic gestures to them letting Sally take a good long look, "They're a bunch of children and a few old men and women. They're tired, and beaten already!"

"You're not any older!"

"But I have my Speed. I have powers none of these guys have. I've been my own longer then I've met you and actually hindered Robotnik's forces a few times. What have you done?" Sonic awaits and answer but knows Sally can't give one. "You have Safe Haven here, stay here and build your defenses. Let me take care of Robotnik."

"You?! Are you really that stuck up that you think you can take him alone?!"

"I don't think I can," Sonic rests his hands on the Table looking Sally directly in the eyes, "I know I can. And I know I don't need your help."


	5. Chapter 4 Alone

_**Chapter 4**_

The meeting room is quiet. In fact, some of the Freedom Fighters actually have left for home, now feeling no longer needed for the meeting. Sally leans against the back wall looking at her feet. Rotor sketches out random doodles of invention ideas on the back of a sheet of paper, the erases it again. Bunnie rocks in her chair, her metal feet resting on the table. Antoine marches back and forth in front of the door to the hut, in a meaningless attempt to appear like he's not trouble and working. Cat brushes his graying wiskers in thought, trying to think of something in his life that he could use to cheer the team up.

Sonic is long gone. Not just from the wooden hut, but he has completely left Knothole, and though the speedy, blue hedgehog hadn't been with the team for long, strike that, not even with them a whole day, the village seemed almost empty.

Finally Sally breaks the silence, "We shouldn've asked him before the meeting. We can't really expect everyone we meet to be willing to join our cause."

"But Sally-girl," Bunnie objects, "He was willing to join the cause, he just didn't want to join us."

"Bunnie is right my Princess," Antoine adds, "It seems he is having no trust in us."

Rotor shakes his head, "Not that he doesn't have trust, he just doesn't want to see us get hurt. I mean, the first thing he saw was us at our lowest. No offense Sal."

"Just like the rest of us, Sonic has to make his own desisions," Sally answers. She pushes herself off the wall, "And just because he hasn't joined us doesn't mean we can't keep fighting Robotnik."

The old Cat smiles, "That's right Sally. We're not useless without him. And we had a plan being made before he even showed up."

Rotor seems to brighten too, "And we didn't even factor him into them yet. We can still take down old Robo-butt without Sonic!"

Antoine halts his pacing and moves back towards the table, "And we have the bestest tacticle minds in the whole Kingdom!"

Bunnie keeps rocking, "That's all good in well, but it's not us I'm worried about. It's Sonic. Is he gonna be alright with out us? Should we go after him."

The room gets silent again. Once again Sally is the one to break the silence. She places her hands on the table and takes a deep breath, "All of Mobius is counting on us to do our part to put a stop to Robotnik. Sonic is not a priority and we really shouldn't be putting in man-power or reasources to go searching for him."

She lets that sink in for a moment before adding, "Though if we do see him again we'll do everything in our power to help."

Sally's fellow Freedom Fighters nod. Cat stretches his hand out to the center, "Freedom Fighters forever."

They all move in closer together and put their hands together, "Forever!"

Sally smiles, "Alright then, here's the plan..."

* * *

Sonic looks about the enterance of Robotropolis for any sign of SWAT-butts, Badniks, or any potential traps or dangers. Finding none he moves in.

The backpack on his back weighs heavier then it should have. He tries adjusting the straps but it does no good. He had stolen the backpack, and it's explosive contents from the Knothole Freedom Fighters, and the guilt has been nagging at him ever since. He shakes his head trying to clear it out. They'd thank him later. With these bombs he could take out Robotnik before old Egg Belly even knew he was there. He'd be the hero of all of mobius.

So why didn't he feel like one.

In fact, he felt like a rat.

"Keep it together hedgehog, focus on the mission," Sonic orders himself, "Uncle Chuck always said, 'It's good to let the mind wander from time to time, but never let it distract you from the task at hand!' Or something like that."

Sonic looks around one last time and then sprints forwards. He knew where all the security camera's would be. And he knew which ones he wanted to trip and which ones he did not.

If old 'Buttnik thought he was on the other side of Robotropolis, he'd send his SWATbots there to find him. Leaving his Command Building Unguarded. Or at least less guarded.

Suddenly Sonic stops and dashes into the shadows of a building. A figure moved out of one of the factories. One of the Freedom Fighters? No way, they could have never gotten here before he did.

Perhaps they were a spy? No, that would be too hard. Just being in Robotropolis's poluted air for too long could make someone sick, no way they'd have a long term spy here.

The only way to know for sure was to get a closer look. Sonic moves slowly closer.

The Figure however by now was entering one of the factories. Wait a minute, that factory was shut down. Why would anyone be going in there? Sonic dashes to the door and peaks in.

Black. Pitch Black.

Then briefly a bit of light shines through as the figure opens and enters a door on the second level.

Something weird is going on here. Could this be one of Robotnik's safe houses? Maybe it's a secret planning center. Or maybe it's a hideout for the Freedom Fighters.

Looking over his shoulder Sonic has to plan quickly. This could be something important, it could not be. He may miss his chance to take on Robuttnik if he checks this out. And if he loses the Bombs he may never get another chance.

However it was too suspicous to just leave alone. And there were no guards around here. Maybe if nothing else, he could find something usefull or prevent some Mobians from getting hurt.

Maybe he can find the Robotisizor.

"Alright Hedgehog, don't let this hunch go to waste." Sonic steps into the darkness. He tries his best to feel his way to the stairs he caught a glimps of when the abandoned factory was lit up briefly. Finally his foot bumps the metal bottom stair.

Holding his breath to help ignore the pain of stubbing his toe, Sonic reaches out and grabs the railing. He then makes his way up the stairs as quietly as possible. Each step however lets out a soft metalic clink sound ever time he steps. Sonic ignores the sound and makes his way to the top. He then slowly walks across the suspended metal bridge. For all he knew it was just balancing and waiting to fall. Sonic carefully clinks his way across. Finally he reaches the other side. He pauses to feel for a wall.

The Clinking doesn't.

Sonic can feel his spines stand up on end and a bit of sweat drips down from his brow. The Clinking is growing louder. There is even more Clinking then there was before.

And it was from behind him.

Sonic turns around and that's when he sees them. Glowing Redlines, the eyes of an army of SWATbots.

The lights flick on.

Sonic is surrounded. SWATbots fill most of the room, but backing up their numbers were many Badniks and Robians. Sonic see's the door and is about to run to it when it opens up and two Figures steps out.

"Well if it isn't the your nephew Sir Charles," the Overlander smiles evilly.

But Sonic wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the now Robotic, blue Hedgehog standing next to the Overlander.

It was Uncle Chuck.

"Priority One, Hedgehog!" was all Uncle Chuck said.

"I couldn't agree more," the overlander laughs.

"Sir, we've captured the Blue Hedgehog," The overlander proudly tells Robotnik on the communications system.

Sonic sits surrounded by 'bots, now tied both at the arms and the ankles. He glares at the Holographic display of Doctor Robotnik being projected by the communicater.

"Excellent Work Snively," cackled Robotnik, "the plan worked like a charm then?"

"Well not exactly sir," Snively shifts uncomfortably. He straightens the collar on his green uniform, "the other Freedom Fighters don't seem to be with the Hedgehog."

"Don't seem to be with the Hedgehog? Well where are they Snively!?"

"They don't seem to be in Robotropolis at all, sir. We've looked everywhere," Snively takes a few steps back, like he's afraid the Hologram can actually harm him.

Course with all things considered, it actually might be able to.

Robotnik however looks thoughtful rather then upset, "Then they haven't joined forces then? How unfortunate. I did hope on completing the my collection."

"Collection?" Sonic asks. This causes Robotnik to laugh.

"My dear boy, you didn't really think this was all about you did you? Yes I have to say you've been a thorn in my side, but nothing more."

Sonic looks puzzled which only makes Robotnik laugh louder as Snively joins in. Sonic can almost feel the spary from his spit from here.

"This has been about the Princess. Once I have her I'll have everything I need to defeat the Kingdom of Acorn once and for all." Robotnik's laughter stops, "I had thought after you rescued her team you must have been part of it. I had been waiting for you to show back up again to capture your whole team, but it looks like you're still on your own."

Sonic's heart skips a beat.

"That's right hedgehog, I know all about your other team. Your Uncle Has been very informative," Robotnik gestures to the robotic hedgehog now acting as a janitor, "of course you'd be proud to know he didn't tell me until after I robotisized him."

"I'll crush you, you fat piece of-" Sonic growls, but is quickly silenced as a SWATbot hits him in the back of the head with it's laser Rifle.

Sonic's vision begins to fade. The last thing he hears before blacking out is Robotnik's laughter.


	6. Chapter 5 Into the Beast

_**Chapter 5**_

Finally the black begins to fade away and Sonic rubs his head to help clear it.

He takes a moment to look around at his surroundings, noting that while he was knocked out, the must of carried him somewhere else. Not carried, the pain in his arms and legs tell him he was dragged.

Sonic quickly realizes he's in some sort of glass tube. Diamond Glass. Looks like regular Glass but completely unbreakable. Well at least unbreakable to Sonic's knowledge. His head hurt almost as bad as the last time he tried.

Outside his glass prison Sonic could see wires strung out across the floor connected to the tube and then strung up a nearby wall to where Sonic couldn't see. There were a lot flashing lights and switches along the walls. Above Sonic there are three bright lights and a fourth light that seems to be broken dead in the center of the other three. Or what looks like one.

That is when it hit him. He was in the blasted Roboticizer.

Sonic kicks the glass, however all he does is smear some of the mud off his shoes.

A voice echos into the the tube, "Don't bother, though Doctor Robotnik enjoys watching prisoners struggle, you won't be able to bust that glass." It was Snively. Sonic ignored him and kicked again. Even if he couldn't break the glass, maybe he could knock the glass loose from the machine.

Sonic keeps kicking the machine. His efforts are rewarded with a pain in his leg and foot and a large smear on the glass. He slumps against the other side and glares at the glass.

"I warned you. Don't worry soon you won't feel the pain anymore. Or anything but loyalty for the Robotnik Empire!" Snively laughs echo through out the glass tube.

It couldn't end like this!

With renewed energy Sonic begins kicking the Diamond Glass again.

It can't end here, not now, not like this!

Sonic begins using both feet against the glass. He couldn't let them all down. Not Uncle Chuck, not his family, not the Freedom Fighters in Knothole or the many groups through out the planet.

Again however, though as hard as Sonic tries, he can't seem to break the Diamond Glass. Not a crack. He wasn't even sure if he was scratching it.

Sonic slumps against the back of the Tube again and looks up. The fourth lightbulb begins to glow an almost peace giving light.

Will he remember anything? Feel what was going on?

And what was that Shadow that just moved across the Glass?

* * *

Snively reclines in his chair and puts his feet up on the console. Technically he wasn't supposed to, but so far none of the Robots had ever reported him, or that Robotnik simply didn't care. Either way it was good to relax.

And after finally capturing the accursed hedgehog who had been a thorn in his side for so long, he finally could relax.

Though many of the times the speedy hedgehog had thrown the metephorical wrench in Robotnik's plans, it had not been Snively's fault, Robotnik always took his anger out on Snively. However with the blue hedgehog's capture, Snively was likely to be reward. Praised. Perhaps even promoted! Maybe Robotnik would finally move him from the pathetic outpost he was stationed at here, back to the command center in Robotropolis!

"That's right Uncle Julian, nothing can go wrong now," Snively chuckles to himself.

Of course he took it back a few moments later when the lights in the facility went out.

* * *

"Quick there isn't much time before the emergency power kicks in!" Rotor tells the others, over the comlink. Sally doesn't waste time with and answer and moves over to the nearby control station and hooks NICOLE up to it.

"NICOLE, access controls for the Roboticizer."

"Accessing Sally. Controls accessed."

"Unlock the Roboticizor!" Sally commands, and with a quick click, the glass walls on the machine raise up releasing Sonic from the tube.

"What are you guys doing here?" Sonic asks. Sally smiles.

"The goal of the Knothole Freedom Fighters is to free Mobius From Robotnik's control, however part of that goal involves having Mobians around to enjoy it," She explains, "our first priority is to our fellow Mobians."

Sonic scratches the back of his neck, "Thanks. I guess I owe you one now huh?"

"Actually we're even. Remember you rescued us first," Sally reminds Sonic.

Sonic makes a mischievious grin, "Wanna see me do it again?"

* * *

"Get the lights back on, NOW!" Snively hollers at the techbots working frantically, "Get some SWATbots down to the Roboticizor! Don't let the Hedgehog escape!"

"Sir, all SWATbots squads are unavailable," one of the Techbots replies.

"WHAT!?"

"Upon your orders they all shut down for maintenance."

Snively jumps out of his chair and heads over to the Techbot's station, "WHEN DID I GIVE SUCH ORDERS!?"

"Bringing up file."

The file pops up, but instead of being Snively's orders, it's a picture of a walrus making faces.

"It can't be! They'be hacked the system?! That's impossible!" Snively hurries back over to his master controls. "Quick reactivate them before they-"

A loud explosion sounds from the Roboticizor room.

* * *

While this is going on, Bunnie and Antoine are pinned down in a hallway attempting to cover the groups escape route. However the Buzz-Bombers firing upon them have the better range.

"W-w-w-what are we to be doing!?" Antoine stutters out.

"Just hold the line Sugar'Twan until Rote and Sal bust the Blue Boy out!" Bunnie responds. She picks up a near by wrench and chucks it into the closest Buzz-Bomber. The wrench impales through the Buzz-Bombers middle section causing it to explode.

Antoine attempts to do the same however all he manages to do is toss the his wrench over the metal drum he's using for cover.

"What is keeping them so long?" Antoine whines.

As if on cue, suddnely the Buzz-Bombers are destroyed. Sonic stands in the remains.

"You rang?"

"Boy are we glad to see you hon, where are Sal and Rotor?" Bunnie ask him.

Sonic gestures his thumb over his shoulder, "Setting this place to blow sky high." At least none of the nearby Mobians will be getting Roboticized any time soon!"

An explosion echos through the hall and Sonic streches his legs.

"That's my cue. Sal says to meet her by the usual spot!" With that the blue hedgehog makes his way back down the hall.

"Ya'll heard the man, let's move!"

* * *

Rotor and Sally duck behind a box as a group Motobugs race by.

"Looks like the system is back up and running," Rotor notes, "too bad we didn't have time to copy the Roboticizor's information."

Sally nods, "Well just have to get it next time. Come on the Generator is this way."

The two hurry down the corridor and turn the corner. In front of them stands a large metal door painted red. There appears to be no way to open the door.

Sally kicks the door, "How do we open it?"

Rotor smiles, "Say please." He then taps the wall searching for something. Soon he finds a hidden panel. Rotor pulls the panel opened and discovers a small control switch for the door, "NICOLE's turn."

Nodding, Sally hooks NICOLE to the switch, "NICOLE, can you open the door for us."

"Negative Sally. Do to the alarm the terminal has been locked out of the door controls. However...it seems I still have access to the computer inside the room."

Rotor and Sally look at each other. "Can you cause the Generator to overload and explode?"

"Checking...it seems so. Shall I make it happen?"

* * *

Finally the lights flick back on.

"Report!" Snively growls at the Techbots.

"Sir the lights have turned back on."

"Well no duh! I can see that!" Sometimes Snively wonders why the techbots could be so simple minded, yet be the brainiest of all the bots.

"But sir we did-"

"Wait...is it me or are the lights getting brighter?" Snively asks as he shields his eyes from the growing glow of the overhead lights. He then notices it's not just the lights the computer screens are glowing brighter too.

"Sir, the Generator seems to be overloading."

Snively rest his face in his hands, "Oh I hate my life..."

One by one the lightbulbs begin blowing out. The Computer screens follow shortly. Soon the room is pitch black.

"The big guy is not going to like this..."

* * *

Sonic manages to catch up to Sally and Rotor about the same time the hall turns pitch black. Rotor pulls out a small Flash light from the military grade toolbelt he wears, and flicks it on.

"Ready to juice and jam guys?" Sonic asks. He pauses to sniff the air, "You smell something burning?"

"NICOLE overloaded the Generator. It's burning up all the systesm," Sally explains.

"And it's going to explode soon. So we gotta get out of here quick," Rotor adds.

"Quick is my middle name," Sonic brags, "Grab on and we'll juice out of here."

Rotor and Sally grab on to Sonic, "Are you sure this is safe?"

"We'll I've never had two passengers before, but it's safer then staying here," Sonic explains.

"Fair enough. Let's go!"

The Trio race down the hall.

* * *

"In here 'Twan!" Bunnie shouts as she shoves the coyote into an ventalation shaft. The duo barely pull the cover closed before a team of SWATbots run down the hall they were just in.

"That was too close to being comfortable," Antoine comments.

"Keep movin' hon," Bunnie orders, pushing him forwards, "we still have to get to the Usual Spot to meet up with the others."

The two travel through the airduct for what seems like miles. Finally Antoine pauses at another grate.

"The coast is seemingly to be clear," he says peaking out. He tries to push the grate off but finds it stuck, "I can not be getting it opened! Mayhaps..."

"On it Sugar," Bunnie raises squeezes up next to him, "You might wanna duck down."

Bunnie reals her metalic arm back and smashes it into the grate, puncturing through it.

"Oops," Bunnie apologizes, "Looks like that was to much..."

"Not to worry," Antoine smiles. After Bunnie pulls her arm back in, he sticks his own arm out, "I can almost...reach...the..."

"Better hurry, Sugar'Twan, sounds like something is coming."

* * *

"WATCH OUT!" Sally yells to Sonic.

"Hey, no backseat driving!" Sonic shouts back as the SWATbots' lasers blast overhead.

Rotor sigh, "Turn Left up ahead and head straight. That should put us back in the main hallway."

Sonic does as he's told, almost whipping Rotor and Sally into the wall as he does so. The laser fire burns holes in the wall behind them.

"Watch it, or it won't be the SWATbots that do us in!" Sally scolds him.

"Excuuuuuuse me Princess, but maybe you would have liked it back in your cell, your highness."

"My cell? We rescued you!" Sally reminds him.

Sonic scratches his head, "Oh yeah. I forgot."

Suddenly the hallway is rocked by a large Explosion. Sonic loses his balance and the trio end up rolling down the hallway to the far wall, slamming hard into the wall. The smell of melted metal and ozone begins filling the hall, as well as a few other unpleasant aromas.

"Ugh, smells like we must have busted open one of the toxic waste storage tanks," Rotor remarks, plugging his nose to keep out the smell.

"Great, if that catches fire, this whole place will go sky high." Sally moans, picking herself up.

Sonic shakes his head, "Wouldn't that be a good thing?"

"Not with us still in here," Rotor reminds him.

"Right," Sonic gets to his feet, "I'll clear the path up ahead. You follow behind. When the path is cleared I'll come back and get you."

"Alright. Just be carefull," Sally warns as she helps Rotor to his feet.

Sonic nods and races down the hall.

"He has no idea where we're going does he?" Sally asks the Walrus.

"Not a clue." Rotor answers back.


	7. Chapter 6 Out of the Beast

War for Mobius

Act 1 Chapter 6

Antoine peers out of the empty gasoline canister he has chosen as his current hiding place. He had only barely managed to open the grate to escape for him and Bunnie to escape the vents only moments before a few robotic guards patrolled by. Bunnie and Antoine had managed to avoid detection however only for the moment. There is no telling when the guards would pass by again and no telling if they could continue to avoid being detected.

The Coyote wiped the sweat from his brow as he climbs out of the metal barrel, "Bunnie? Where are you?"

There is no response. Antoine backs away from his former hiding spot while looking around the room. He couldn't be alone could he? Had Bunnie been captured while he had been hiding? Was he that afraid he didn't hear her getting taken? Maybe she-

Antoine nearly jumps right out of his uniform when a metallic hand clamps onto his shoulder, letting out a loud "Yeep!" in the process.

"Quiet 'Twan!" Bunnie scolds retracting her cybernetic arm from Antoine's shoulder. If it wasn't for the situation she would have found Antoine's fear funny if not a bit adorable, however….

"We have t'keep moving," Bunnie orders. Antoine barely stifles out a nod.

* * *

It isn't long before Sonic realizes the fallacy of his proposed plan. Rotor and Sally just didn't know which way to go and now had gotten lost! It probably would have been better if he had stayed in eyesight of them so that they didn't make any wrong turns.

Unfortunately it was too late now to worry about that. He'd better find them before they get caught or worse….

Sonic races up and down the hallway shouting to find his missing friends. Were they his friends now? It would make sense. It probably would be mutually beneficial he guessed. He could watch out for them while they….well let's face it, came up with better plans they he ever did. And if we're being honest here, sometimes they might have to save him. Sometimes…not a lot of the time.

Sonic soon reaches his limit and has to rest to catch his breath. Usually he wouldn't, but the whole shock treatment he received earlier had left him less than one hundred percent. He reaches out to rest his hand on the wall; however when he does he ends up pressing a hidden switch that opens up a secret door.

Of course there had to be secret rooms in one of Robotnik's labs, Sonic smiles to himself. How else would Egg-belly be able to escape capture if it fell into his enemies hands? Perhaps there would be an escape route, or a control computer, or maybe it was a bunker.

A mechanical hand reaches out of the newly opened secret pathway and slashes its robotic claws at Sonic. Perhaps the room was just a storage room for killer Robots. Sonic quickly hops out of its range before it has a chance to strike again. Taking only a few seconds to examine the new path, Sonic realizes that it is indeed an escape tunnel, but not one for Robotnik, one for the mind controlled robian slaves working the factory. Most have gotten aboard the underground tram…trolley….train…..subway….whatever it was, which Sonic had no idea, that led to who-knows-where. However the one standing at the operating table, the one now attacking him, was one all too familiar to the blue hedgehog.

"Uncle Chuck!" Sonic takes a defensive stance as his robotic uncle begins slowly moving towards him, "You have to fight it Unc. Don't let Robo-Butt control you!" Sonic backs away, now wishing to harm his own Uncle. However Uncle Chuck seemed to have no qualms harming his beloved nephew.

"Priority override…..capture Hedgehog," Charles Hedgehog responds in an electronic and mechanical voice that only barely resembles his old organic voice. It was cold, harsh, and unfeeling; unlike his the caring voice Sonic remembered from is youth. No this being was no longer the Uncle Chuck who had helped raise him. This thing was a mechanical monster being used as a cog to run Robotnik's engine of destruction.

And yet….

Something in Sonic says Uncle Chuck could still be saved. Something tells him that Uncle Chuck still has a chance.

Another large explosion rattles its way through the factory reminding Sonic of the doom that awaits any of those who don't make it out. The Princess and Rotor were counting on him; he couldn't just let them down now. After all they must have gone through to come rescue him.

He pauses to look at Uncle Chuck one last time….

* * *

"This is bad Rotor," Sally paces impatiently in front of their secured exit through a damaged trash compacter. The compacter had been damaged long ago and for some reason Doctor Robotnik had not had it repaired, instead only trying to cover up the large hole in it that now served as the Freedom Fighters way in and out of the base.

Rotor shifts uneasy, "I'm sure he's fine. He just got a little lost because he didn't know which way to go."

"That's the whole problem Rotor. He doesn't know which way to go and there isn't much time left. If Sonic isn't he soon…." Sally's voice trails off, not wanting to think about the consequences, "We should go look for him"

Rotor puts his hand on her shoulder shaking his head, "If we do that Sonic may whip right by here and miss the exit all together. And neither of us is fast enough to find him and make it back in time. Our best bet is to hope he finds us before it's too late."

Sally kicks the garbage compacter, ignoring the pain it sends into her foot, "We have to do something…"

Suddenly Rotor's face lights up, "Well I do have one idea the might work…."

* * *

"Oh…what is taking them so long?" Antoine asks Bunnie. The two of them had made it outside a little while ago. They watched helplessly at the exit by the hover bike they had "liberated" a few missions back. While normally it would not hold the weight of more than two Mobians, Rotor had the idea of attaching a hover pad to it, sort of like a horse drawn carriage. While it still needed some work, it functioned well enough to be field tested…hopefully.

Bunnie taps her foot, losing her patience. While it was normally not very lady-in-waiting like to think this way, but sometimes Sally's actions were cutting it too close, and sometimes Bunnie wished she could scold her. But even if she could, she knew Sally wouldn't listen.

Finally getting sick of waiting Bunnie hops onto to the hover bike. "What are you doing!?" Antoine asks, clearly betraying the worry he wished she would not notice.

"Sally and Rote should be outta there by now," Bunnie explains while firing up the engines, "Which means they may need a quick extraction. Now be a dear and turn on the hover pad."

* * *

This was definitely proving to be harder than Sonic had anticipated. Not only did Uncle Chuck fight him the entire way, he still had no idea which way to go. Not only was his running wearing him out, but the weight and struggling of his robotic uncle was causing him to lose serious momentum and speed.

"Stop fidgeting Uncle Chuck! You're making this harder on both of us!" Sonic grumbles more to himself than to Charles, "And you said making me take a bath as a kid was hard."

"That music is not authorized to be played in this factory!" Uncle Chuck replies.

Music? What music? Sonic slows down to listen.

Yes he can hear that unmistakable song….ugh…it was definitely not Sonic's choice of music. However that meant somebody had some kind of music player, and that somebody had to be either Sally or Rotor.

Sonic tightens his grip on Uncle Chuck, "Hang on Unc, it's Juice time!"

Before the poor old-bot can respond Sonic takes off running towards the direction of the sound. As it gets louder, Sonic gradually begins changing his mind about the song. Sure it was still terrible, but at least it was helping.

As if on cue the Song changed to something Sonic liked better. Now this was truly being rescued by music.

* * *

"That's as loud as it goes Sal," Rotor says as he cranks the volume on his portable A-pod Player to maximum.

"Any louder, and my speakers will blow apart," adds NICOLE. They had managed to hook NICOLE up to the player to maximize the sound output. However NICOLE's speakers were not meant to played at this volume she could barely "Shout" over the music to make herself heard.

"We're out of time!" Sally sighs, "We have to go now!"

"Wait!" Rotor stops her as she opens the rusted trash compactor's door, "listen to that!"

At first Sally thought he wanted her to listen to the song, which confused her as Rotor would have never been so stupid to risk their lives over it. However she then heard it as the song went to the chorus.

"…put the pedal to the metal and baby I guarantee….you'll be juicing to the tenth degree…."

"It's Sonic!"

Sonic doesn't even seem to slow down, in fact he seems to speed up as he spots them. Sally and Rotor barely manage to pry the rusted doors open before they are grabbed by the hedgehog…who is still singing.

"Crank it Super Sonic, it don't take any fuel…cuz the rocket's in my pocket and-"

A large explosion follows them through the makeshift escape route launching them into the air.

* * *

The unexpected explosion nearly causes Bunnie to lose it. She had figured something was up with all the rumbling and smoke, well….new smoke, rising from the factory, but she and Antoine had no idea how close the place had been to exploding.

Bunnie quickly turns the bike to go looking for the others, when what appears to be a blue missile misses her and Antoine by inches, causing the bike to go spinning, nearly throwing the coyote from his seat on the hover pad.

However, just as the Missile hurtles by, Bunnie hears its sing, "Waaaa-aaaaaaaaa-aaaaaaaaay past Cool!"

Missiles don't sing do they? At least Robotnik's don't. Then could that have been….?

Sonic and his passengers shoot just past the edge of the cement marking Robonik's territory, landing on the soft grass just beyond.

At the speed they were flying the grass was still pretty hard.

Sonic jumps up almost instantly, "WAY PAST COOL! Anyone want to go again?"

Rotor barely manages to get to his feet, "N-no thank you…"

Sonic notice Sally's too busy hurling her lunch out to respond. He can't help but laugh, "Good because I think that's all I had left in me." The blue hedgehog collapses back down into the grass, only to jump back to his feet after he remembers something, "Uncle Chuck!"

Uncle Chuck lays a few feet away, repeating the phrase "Systems rebooting, please hold," over and over again.

Sally manages to her feet, "Is that…Sir Charles Hedgehog?"

"I thought he had escaped Robotnik's takeover…" Rotor notes moving over to check the robot, Sonic already beating him to his uncle's side.

"He did," Sonic responds, "it was the after events that got him."

Rotor gives Sonic an understanding nod and checks the bot over quickly. As he does Bunnie and Antoine pull up on the hover bike-pad combo, "My stars, you gave us quite the scare there. Y'all alright?"

"I think so," Sally answers, "I let you know when feeling gets back in my legs…."

"Sir Charles doesn't seem to be damaged," Rotor says with a bittersweet smile, "However…that means he can't come with us."

"What do you mean?" Sonic objects.

"If he's still programmed to be loyal to Robotnik, he'll just escape and bam, there goes our secret base."

Sonic pauses to think this over. Finally he stands back up and hops on the hover pad, "Right. And Mobius can't wait for us forever…"

Rotor climbs on to the hover pad and sits next to Antoine. Sally takes the seat next to Sonic. She looks at him curiously, "What do you mean 'Us'?"

Sonic punches her arm playfully, "Well if you wanna quit the Freedom Fighters I guess we can't stop you, but the rest of us have work to do, right guys?"

The rest can only laugh.

Sonic takes one last look at his Robotic Uncle, "Next time Uncle Chuck."

Bunnie drives the hover bike-pad combo off towards the forest. Uncle Chuck lies there….

"Systems rebooting…..sys…..sys…Sonny…?"


	8. Chapter 7 The Fan

War For Mobius

_Act 1 Chapter 7_

One month has passed since Sonic Officially joined the Knothole Freedom Fighters.

Not surprising he's become somewhat of hero in the eyes of those who live in Knothole. He's fast, strong, brave, and unfortunately he can also be quite the show-off. It wasn't long before, much to Sally's distaste, Sonic had developed a large fan following. Sally insists that Sonic's fans distract him from the Freedom Fighters' mission. Sonic argues that if their mission is to help the people of Mobius, they have to give them heroes to believe in.

Fans claim they've seen Sally at some of their get togethers, however no proof has ever been provided and thus these rumors are usually ignored.

While the fans have caused only minor annoyance to Sally they've affected some of the other Freedom Fighters greater.

Johnny used to be known for his speed and dexterity. Now he's the second fiddle. In most missions he's been reduced to providing as Sonic's back up or second. It has been quite the blow to Johnny's sizeable ego. Unfortunately there is little Johnny can do about it. He does his best to avoid Sonic outside of missions, mostly to avoid the mobs of fans. However he has found that this has allowed him to spend more time working on his other skills. Sonic may be faster, but Johnny hasn't been completely shunned from the limelight yet.

Unlike Antoine. Antoine seems to have been completely forgotten by the public eye, save when Sonic decides to prank the stuffed shirt. Antoine, always trying to appear dignified, yet so easily pranked and so easily flustered has quickly become the butt of most of Sonic's jokes. Sonic has pranked all his team mates many times, but none come close to how many times Antoine has been pranked. Antoine feels he's been reduced to a mere "fuel" in the public's eyes, and he refuses to take it "standing down". Unfortunately all Antoine's attempts to get back at Sonic have backfired, either with Sonic being too quick to be caught in the prank, to which it usually then ends up going off on Antoine, or Antoine is too quick in activating the prank to make sure his intended target is the one going to be ensnared in the trap. Sally is not amused.

Drake the Dog is also a bit offended by the mass amount of female fans Sonic has "stolen" from him. However, if we are to be completely honest with ourselves, Drake really had no chance with these women and they really had no interest with him to begin with. Drake has also tried to increase his own standing, but once again has had little success. In fact most of his backfires have made Sonic looked greater, and for reasons unknown to him, Antoine more foolish.

Sonic hasn't only gained fans though. His "rank" has also risen rather quickly (also to Antoine's disgust. The blue blur has quickly established himself as an experienced fighter, and though he's definitely not a master planner, he has proven himself time and time again, able to think on his feet and improvise when the situation calls for it. This has caused Sonic to be escalated to the "Command Staff" of the Freedom Fighters, going as far to lead his own team on some missions. And while he does like to show off and sometimes believes he functions better on his own, he has proven himself and decent leader if not just an inspirational one.

When off duty Sonic can usually be found showing off to some of his fans or hanging out at the Chili Dog stand. Sometimes he does both. Actually….a lot of the time he does both. Honestly…sometimes it's the amount of Chili Dogs he can eat that his fans come to see rather than any feats of Speed or Bravery.

Today is not really different. Sonic has just gotten off duty and after inviting Sally to another one of his "performances" and getting turned down as usual, he is just arriving at the Chili Dog stand. The Stand's owner has already set out a tray of Chili Dogs for the show, knowing the more Sonic eats, the more customers come to see him. The more customers that come, the closer to that early retirement he gets. However, while quite the sizable crowd today; it is actually one of Sonic's smaller crowds. This has no real effect on Sonic however, because there is one fan of his that always shows up and that's all he needs: Himself. Though the adoring crowd does make it more fun.

Sonic begins the show in his usual way, "Step right up folks, don't crowd, don't push. But most of all don't be shy. Welcome to the greatest show in all of Knothole! Watch closely now as the hand is faster than the eye, but none is faster than I!"

The crowd cheers as he starts. Most of them today are young children, so Sonic decides something flashy is in order. He begins by juggling the Chili Dogs from the tray. "Well my Uncle always told me not to play with my food, but…."

"More!" some of the kids shout to him.

"Don't you worry kiddies this only gets better from here," Sonic begins throwing the 'dogs higher into the air. He then continues the show by quickly moving in a circle himself causing his Chili Dogs to fly up all in different locations. He keeps this up for a bit letting the spectacle sink in. Suddenly he changes it up again, throwing up the 'dogs at different rates so the pattern becomes too erratic to be predictable. He lets the Chili Dogs get dangerously close to the ground a few times to just to spice up the tension of his audience. Could this be the first time Sonic makes a mistake?

Don't count on it. Soon it's time to wrap the show up. Sonic begins catching each one in his mouth before it hits the ground and eating it before moving onto the next one. When they're all gone the kids cheer for their hero.

"Thank you all for coming, I'll be here all week. Well, not right here but you get the idea."

After the show Sonic begins answering questions from the kids. The question range from "Where he got his shoes" to "Has he ever lost a race" to "Why should I wash behind my ears?" Kids.

After the questions it's storytime. After asking what story they wanted to hear the most, Sonic begins telling the story on how he joined the Freedom Fighters. The story is mostly true, however Sonic does make himself seem more heroic then he actually was, randomly deciding to fight bad guys with one hand tied behind his back or blind folded. He also makes it sound like all the other Freedom Fighters look up to him, calling him the "Coolest, handsome-est, and all around fasted guy in the world". At this Sonic believes he hears someone gag but upon glancing around doesn't see anyone, so assumes one of the kids must've just choked on their Chili Dog briefly.

After the story Sonic decides to call it a day. Thanking the kids for coming, signing a few autograph books which he is rather certain he has signed before and taking a few photos. And signing a few of those photos too.

After a bit the kids clear out, chattering excitedly on how cool that was or some stories of Sonic's feats. Sonic finally takes a seat, "Sometimes taking care of these kids is harder than Facing Robotnik….."

Sonic begins to relax, however he is quickly interrupted, "Uh…excuse me…"

Sonic looks over and notices one of the kids has remained behind. The boy is a young fox. The boy seems to be a regular mobian, save for one distinct feature, He has two tails.

"And who might you be?" Sonic asks.

"My name is Miles, Miles Prower," the kid replies reaching out to shake Sonic's hand. Sonic does so.

"What can I do for you Miles?"

"I had a question I wanted to ask you."

Sonic scratched his chin, "A question huh? Sure. I'm game."

"I wanted to ask you…how can I be cool like you?"

Sonic thinks about it for a minute…then 2….then 3….soon 5 minutes have passed.

"….can I?"

"Sure you can," Sonic replies, "Anyone can. I just don't know how to put it to words."

"Oh," Miles looks down at his feet.

"Tell you what," Sonic shrugs, "you meet me here tomorrow, and by then I'll have thought up a good answer. How's that sound?"

Miles looks thoughtful, "Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, maybe I could show you how better than I could tell you how."

The fox boy mulls it over for a bit, "Sure."

"Just one question, why not ask this in front of the other kids. I'm sure they would have wanted to know too."

Miles looks at his feet again, "They would have laughed at me."

"Laughed at you?"

Miles holds up one of his tails to Sonic, "They call me a freak because I have this extra tail."

Sonic smiles, "How do you know it's not the other one?"

"How do I know it's…..oh!" Miles starts laughing after getting the joke.

"Don't let it get you down," Sonic says patting the fox boy on the head, "After tomorrow they won't tease you anymore right?"

"Right," Miles nods, "I gotta go. If you see Aunt Sally tell her I said hi!"

With that Miles runs off for home. Sonic ponders for a moment.

"Aunt Sally?"

Sally grumbles to herself as the excessive knocking, well more accurately, pounding on her door continues. She had been going over some blueprints NICOLE had downloaded from one of Robotnik's computer banks during one of their raids. She had been hoping to find the Roboticizor Blueprints, however it looks like once again those were out of reach.

Not that the knocking had helped. It barely started a couple minutes ago and had not stopped. There was only one person she could think of who was that impatient.

"Sonic Hedgehog, hold your horses!" She shouts at the door. She makes her way across the room and opens it, "What is it?"

"Sorry to bother you but I have a message for ya," Sonic says with a grin.

"Oh, who's it from?"

"Miles Prower. He says 'hi'."

Sally relaxes a little, "Miles? It's been a while since I visited him. I wonder how he's doing."

Sonic shrugs, "He apparently is getting picked on by the other kids. He called you Aunt Sally. What's up with that?"

The princess sighs, "You better come in."

As Sonic steps through the doorway he looks around the room. For the most part the hut seems pretty clean, but Sonic soon decides that it must be because she isn't using the whole hut. Her desk, in the corner of the room is covered with papers and electronics, sort of like a mini-Rotor's Lab. There are a few books strewn about the floor by the couch, most being tactical and historical books, but a few novels are mixed in as well. There are also a few folders stacked up on the table next to a cup of...something a few days old because Sally never got around to finish it.

Upon realizing what Sonic was doing, Sally quickly tries to distract him from how her house looks, "Ahem…well….about Miles…."

"Huh? Oh right."

Sally takes a seat on the couch. Sonic sits down next to her, providing enough space so it doesn't seem awkward, "Miles's parents are victims of Robotnik's takeover. Like many others, he's been left an orphan."

Sonic gives and understanding nod, "Like a lot of us. Bet it is harder on him since he's still so young."

Sally sighs, "Worse is he was born with an extra tail. This has caused him to be the butt of many of the other kids jokes. Unfortunately he has no one to turn to. I've done my best to fill in for him, but with leading the Freedom Fighters and running Knothole I can't always be there for him."

"I see," Sonic states leaning back on the couch, "I bet that might be why he attaches himself to me. He needs a hero to help pull him through the tough times."

There is a moment of silence. Then of course Sonic breaks it, "Well then I'll just have to take him under my wing."

"…say what?"

"Miles already thinks of me as his hero right?"

Sally shrugs, "Unfortunately yes. Too bad you're not a good parental figure."

Sonic winks at her, "Probably not. But I can be the big brother."

"You can?"

"Besides, I'm so popular," Sonic boasts standing up on the couch, "That none of the other kids will tease him anymore if he hangs out with me!"

"…you're joking right?"

"Nope"

"One, don't break my couch," Sally warns the hedgehog, "Two, that isn't going to solve his problem."

"Sure it will," Sonic smiles, dropping back on the couch a bit harder than Sally would have liked, "He gets someone to relate to, the kids stop teasing him, and I get to do something other than show off."

"Wasn't it your idea to show off in the first place?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean that's all I wanna do."

Sally was taken back, "Could have fooled me."

"We both learned something new about each other today," Sonics says heading for the door, "You learned I have more depth to me then you thought…"

"And what did you learn about me?"

"That you're not as big a neat freak as I first took you for," Sonic ducks out the door just before Sally's cup of old…whatever it once was smashes into door behind where his head had been.

"Sonic Hedgehog you get back here!" Sally heads for the door about to take off after him when she hears NICOLE calling from the other room.

"Incoming Message Sally…."


	9. Chapter 8 Miles

**War for Mobius **

_Act 1 Chapter 8_

The alarm clock blares loudly filling the room with its dreadful noise.

Sonic reaches out for it from under the blankets but finds it out of his reach. He leans farther out but still cannot find it. He finds something however the second time, the floor.

Sonic picks himself up and bleary eyed looks around the room until he spots the alarm clock on the floor just on the other side of his night stand. It must have fallen off while it was ringing. If you could call it ringing. Rotor had made sure that the alarms could wake anyone up from their sleep. Sonic wasn't convinced otherwise. He was pretty sure they could hear the alarms way out in Robotropolis.

Sonic finally manages to reach the alarm and switch it off. The time reads the number ten with a thirty following it. TEN THIRTY!? The alarm was set for nine! Sonic checks the settings again. Nine. Had he really been sleeping through the alarm for an entire hour before waking up? He hadn't been that tired had he?

Don't have time to worry about it now. He's late to meet Miles.

Well….as late as you can be when you travel nearly the speed of sound.

Miles waits patiently, seated on the bench near the Chili Dog stand that Sonic had performed at the day before. He really didn't know what was going to happen today so he only brought a handful of stuff with him. Some money if needed, a water bottle which was already half empty, and a camera that most of its film has already been used up on previous occasions.

The fox boy had arrived a couple minutes early hoping to beat the rush of other Sonic fans that had come to catch a glimpse of their hero this morning, but unfortunately there were a few others already there. Specifically ones he didn't want to see, as they were usually part of the group that picked on him. So he tried to be as invisible as possible from the group.

It didn't work.

Soon the group had surrounded him.

"Hey look everybody, it's the freak!"

"Uh…hi guys," Miles stutters, "What's up?"

"Nothin', what are you doing here?"

Miles thinks for a minute, maybe if he tells them the truth they'll leave him alone, "Well I'm going to hang out with Sonic today."

The other kids bust out laughing.

"You!? With Sonic!?" One kid chuckles.

"Why would he want to spend any time with you?" Another teases.

"Yeah freak," one of the larger ones glares down at him, "You think you're better than us so you can just hang out with Sonic?"

Miles realizing his plan had backfired now thought it best he try and slip away to avoid the other kids' upcoming wrath, "Well no, it's was his idea…."

"Oh, so Sonic just wanted to hang out with you and not us, huh? You think we're stupid or something?"

"No," Miles replies, trying to calm the larger kid down, "I didn't mean to…"

"Listen freak," the bigger kid announces, shoving Miles off the bench, "you'll never be cool enough to hang out with Sonic! You're a freak and a loser and you always will be!"

"Yeah," another chimes in, "You think anyone would be dumb enough to believe Sonic would just magically choose to hang out with you and not his cooler fans?"

"Oh look," a third joins in, "he's about to cry."

"No," Miles sniffles, "I just got dirt in my eye"

"Sure," the big one mocks, "I bet. Spending the day with Sonic, yeah right. Who'd ever believe that?"

"Oh so you believe my little buddy is a liar now do you?" Sonic ask from behind the group. The kids jump back startled at his sudden appearance. The look on his face also tells them he is less the pleased with their actions. In fact, he looked mad.

"Mr. Sonic we were just…"

Sonic holds up his hand, "Don't even start. I saw what you guys did and I can honestly say I'm not happy. It's okay to joke around with your friends, but once someone's feelings get hurt, that's no good."

The group of kids looks at their feet.

"And who gave you permission to decide who I choose to hang out with or not?" Sonic scolds, "I thought I was a better example than that. You're lucky it was me who saw your actions here and not the Princess. You'd be in a whole lot worse trouble."

The kids nod.

"Alright then, go home and think about what you did. Maybe next time you'll think before ganging up on someone."

With that the kids scatter. Miles slowly gets to his feet dusting himself off, "That won't help. Even when other adults chew them out they always make fun of me again. Usually because I wasn't good enough to defend myself."

Sonic smiles, "Yeah well you can only keep trying. You okay right?"

Miles checks his camera over. Luckily the kids hadn't touched it or his money for once. He turns back to the blue hedgehog, "I guess so. Thanks for helping."

"No prob little buddy," Sonic replies, giving Miles a thumbs up, "That's what friends are for."

Miles's face brightens up almost instantly, "Friends?"

"Sure. Unless of course you don't want to be friends."

"No, of course I don't! I mean of course I do! I mean…"

"Relax Miles," Sonic laughs, "I understand exactly what you mean. So uh, I kinda slept in and didn't get around to planning, so what did you want to do today?"

Now it was Miles's turn to laugh, "Well honestly I didn't know what you would want to do so I didn't make any plans either."

The two laugh as if they had been friends for a long time. It felt good to laugh. It had been a long time since Miles had laughed this hard.

Finally the laughter came to a close.

After a brief moment, Miles breaks the silence, "So uh did you think of an answer to my question from yesterday?"

"Question?" Sonic thinks for a moment, "Oh yeah! About being cool. Yeah I have an answer for you. All you have to do is…."

"There you are Sonic!" Rotor interrupts. He's outta breath, "We've been looking all over for you."

"Hey there Rote," Sonic waves, "I think there might be something wrong with the alarm clock you gave me."

"Oh, it might be the power source. I've been working on…. Hold it. That's not important right now," the walrus catches himself before he goes too far off topic, "Sally needs to talk to you right away! It's really important!"

"Like Freedom Fighter important?"

The walrus nods, "You got it."

"Well we better not keep her waiting then. C'mon Miles. We better go see Sal."

"You mean I can come too?" Miles asks excitedly.

Sonic shrugs, "I don't see why not. Worst case scenario you just can't tell anyone what you hear."

Rotor shakes his head, "If he can't tell anyone, Sally probably just won't say it in front of him. But she didn't say it was secret, just important."

Miles nods, "Maybe I can help out!"

"Well let's find out," Sonic says, "Grab on and we'll be there in faster than you can blink."

Sally was not amused.

She did not like the idea that Sonic brought Miles. She did not like the idea he had promised Miles a chance to help out. She did not like the fact Rotor did nothing to discourage Sonic from doing this.

But most importantly, she did not like the mission.

NICOLE had received an anonymous e-mail about a chemical laboratory Robotnik had built near the Great River. There were two major problems that the laboratory causes. First, the lab was making chemicals including many used to make explosives and acid rain, perhaps to be used as a way to flush out the Knothole Freedom Fighters from the Great Forest. Adding to that the chemicals themselves are beginning to contaminate the river. Secondly, the chemical factory was top secret. There were supposedly a few new models of 'bots being created there. Any new robot design Robotnik whipped out was a problem. And unfortunately there was no guarantee that those robots would not be already in fighting condition.

However the e-mail was anonymous. The only signature it contained was "a friend." It could be anyone; the whole thing could be a trap even. Unfortunately the risk of leaving it alone was worse than the risk in attacking it.

"It's too dangerous!" Sally objects to Sonic.

"C'mon, it'll be fine," Sonic attempts to reassure her. It has little success.

"We're going into enemy territory for what may even be a trap, and you want to bring Miles? No, it is too dangerous."

Sonic shakes his head, "If he wants to help we ought to let him. We need everyone we can get, no matter who it is."

"There are other ways he can help!" Sally explains.

"Really? How?"

Sonic had her here. There wasn't much Miles could do back here in Knothole. But still, surely Sonic should realize that-

"Well maybe we should let him come along." Rotor chimes in.

"It may be dangerous but if he wants to help I say we let him," Bunnie agrees.

"The youth must be given the opportunity to do their part as well," supports Antoine.

"With Ben and Johnny already out on their own mission and the others with their own assignments, the team is one man short," NICOLE adds, "Miles increases the chances of mission success by a very good amount."

"You too NICOLE?" Sally asks surprised, "All of you?"

The group stands behind Miles who gives Sally a small smile, "I can help. Just give me a chance."

Sally lets out a deep sigh, "Alright you win. Miles you can help. Alright-y then Bunnie, Rotor, and Antoine you're on 'bot duty. Make sure the newly designed robots are offline and unable to be produced. Sonic and Miles, the three of us will be on demolition duty. It should be the safer job but harder work. You up for it?"

"You can count on me!" Mile reassures her.

"Then Freedom Fighters move out." Sally orders. On command, the team begins moving out. However Sally stops Sonic before he takes off.

"One thing Sonic Hedgehog," she warns him strictly, "Miles is your responsibility. Your number one priority is to keep him safe, you got that?"

"Hey it's me," the blue hedgehog grins, "What's the worst that can happen?"

With that Sonic speeds off to catch up with the rest. Sally pauses a moment longer to consider it, "I wish you hadn't asked….."


	10. Chapter 9 Chemical Plant Zone

**War for Mobius**

_Act 1 Chapter 9_

Long before they arrive at the base, The Freedom Fighters begin to taste the toxic chemicals that have begun polluting the air. As they get closer the trees in the forest begin to change color and die away. The grass becomes brittle and dead before opening up to dirt. The dirt itself is also cracked and burned, killing anything that grew out of it.

It would take Nature a very long time to recover from this horrendous attack. Worse still was the attack had barely begun.

"Alright, does everyone remember what they have to do?" Sally checks with the group, "The Chemical Plant is only a little bit farther up ahead."

"Team A's first Priority is to find and destroy the Robot factory," Rotor replies.

"Then we take out any of the bots that have already been created," Bunnie adds.

"Then w-we go home," Antoine adds in hopefully.

"What's wrong Ant," Sonic teases, "Scared that you might get caught?"

"I-I'm not afraid of anything other than the safety of my Princess!" Antoine snaps.

"Stay focused people," Sally scolds, "Anything can happen here so we can't goof around!"

Sonic scratches his ear, "Yeah, yeah. Team B's job is to…."

Sonic pauses. After a minute he nudges Miles.

"Oh!" the Fox boy exclaims, "Team B's job is to blow up the chemical plant so the pollution doesn't spread!"

Sally sighs, "Very good, at least one of you are paying attention."

"Hey!" The Hedgehog exclaims, "I thought we were supposed to stay focused!"

A few moments later Team A approaches a large garage-like building.

"Ya'll think that might be it?" Bunnie asks her team.

"Not sure," Rotor replies, "there are no guards, or defenses. It's too unprotected to be it."

"Maybe we could be using it as a hiding place?" the coyote nervously suggests.

Rotor considers it for a moment, "Good idea, if nothing else we can use it as a base for our search. Bunnie could you pry the door open for us to slip in?"

"Sure'nough Sugar" the cyborg rabbit proudly replies. Moving slowly to avoid drawing attention to herself she moves closer to the large garage door. Taking only a moment to look around for any signs of danger, Bunnie digs her robotic arm deep underneath the large and slightly rusted metal door. With a large heave she lifts the door just enough for the others to squeeze underneath, "Hurry up boys, this suckers heavy!"

"Good job Bunnie!" Roto congratulates as he and Antoine slip through the gap, closely followed by Bunnie herself. She slowly lowers the door behind them to hide that they were ever there.

Rotor takes a quick look around the dark room. The room is lit only by a small window on the roof, but even in the dim light, it is clear the room is empty. Completely empty besides the Freedom Fighters.

"Something is wrong here…."

Sonic skids to a stop and turns back to the other members of Team B, "I'm waaaaaaiting."

"Sonic Hedgehog, if you dash ahead of us one more time I'll…." The princess starts but as she does Sonic takes off again. She shakes her head in defeat, "He just has to act like this is a game right now."

Miles looks at Sally confused, "But wouldn't it be faster if he just took the bombs and placed them himself?"

"It would be but we don't want the chemicals to contaminate the surrounding area, so each explosive will have to be carefully placed to prevent spread," Sally explains to the young mutant fox, "Unfortunately our Hedgehog friend doesn't have the best eye for such delicate work."

"That makes sense," Miles nods understandingly, "We want to clean up after Ro-butt-nik's messes not spread them"

"You got it," Sally smiles, "C'mon, if we don't catch up with Sonic we may never catch up with him.

The two hustle after the speedy blue hedgehog.

A loud KLANG fills the empty garage.

"What was that!?" the cowardly coyote shouts nearly jumping to the ceiling.

"It sounded like it came from over by the door," Rotor answers. He and Bunnie race for the large rusted garage door with Antoine chasing behind. When Bunnie arrives she tries lifting it again. It doesn't budge.

"We're locked in!" Bunnie informs her companions, "It's a trap!"

"Right you are Freedom Fighters!" a voice cackles through the room, "And this time I'll finish you off but good!"

A long thin hole opens up in the floor and a screen rises from within it. The screen flickers on revealing Snively's face. His cackling laugh fills the room again, "Now before I have you all turned into machines , I want to know who your contact is!"

"Contact? What on Mobius are you talking about?" Rotor ask the screen.

"Don't you dare play dumb with me," Snively shouts back nearly blowing the screen's built in speakers, "I know someone tipped you off to this facility! Who was it!?"

Bunnie gives the screen a very un-ladylike gesture involving her fingers, "Here, lemme point 'em out."

For a moment Snively appears as if he's about to explode through the screen but suddenly a eerie calm sweeps over his face, "Well that's okay, once you're Robots I can pry the data right from your brains. It's too bad you won't get to say goodbye to your companions. Being turned to 'bots is the least of their worries"

Just as Sonic skids to another stop, a SWATbot Blaster Bolt explodes just a few inches behind him. The blast knocks Sonic off his feet, but even so, he calls out to Miles and Sally, "LOOK OUT! AMBUSH!"

Sally's first instinct is to provide back-up to Sonic, but she quickly remembers that Miles is still inexperienced and young. She quickly pushes him behind one of the nearby pipes, "Get down!"

"But what about Sonic?"

Even as Miles asks, Sonic is back on his feet, "You SWATbutts couldn't even hit me if I was standing still!"

A shot explodes where Sonic was just standing, "Well…maybe if I was standing still." Sonic charges the nearby robot. At the last second he breaks to the left going around it. The robot turns after but Sonic was already moving between the machine man and the next SWATbot in line. The two both target him and fire but he's way too fast. The two shots wiz past each other and slam into the opposing SWATbots, destroying them both.

Sally and Miles begin moving up, "Keep your head down Miles, and stay behind me."

Bunnie slams her metal arm against the wall of the Garage again. The dent she had been making gets a little bit larger but still hasn't punched through. Meanwhile Rotor uses his tools to try and hack into the screen Snively had been speaking to them in. Robotnik's nephew had turned his attention to the others leaving Team A to their own demise when the SWATs showed up to capture them. But Rotor wasn't going down without a fight. And he certainly wasn't going to let Bunnie or Antoine go down either.

"How's it coming Bunnie?"

"Shoot," Bunnie replies, "If I didn't know better I don't think Needle nose wanted us to leave." She slams her fist into the wall again. Still no escape route, "How 'bout you two?"

"We're getting there," Rotor gives Bunnie a Thumbs up, "Right 'Twan?"

Below the heavy-set Walrus, Antoine groans, "Rotor, I am believing you need to be putting off the pounds."

"Do you mean lose weight?" Rotor tries to hide the annoyance in his voice.

"If you lost it, I've found it!" The coyote groans back.

"Sorry Ant," Rotor shakes his head, "I can't reach the switches without your help." The Walrus pulls on a wire sending a shock through him and his "assistant". They both yelp for a moment.

"Please not be doing that again, Yes?"

"I'll try."

Without any warning a 'bot drops from the off the side of the pipes at Sally. She barely dodges the attack in time.

The Large Yellow and Black, Robotic Spider grasps with its legs at the ground where she had been standing. The pointed tips pierce the concrete leaving spider-webbing cracks in the ground.

"That was close!" Miles lets out a sigh of relief.

"Too close," Sally agrees, "If I hadn't noticed it's shadow as it was coming down…." She shudders thinking about it.

Miles kicks the Robotic-Spider's head, "It doesn't seem to do much though after it drops though."

The Metal Arachnid stares coldly at them, but does little else. It gives Miles the shivers.

"We better watch out step," Sally advises, "There are probably more of them lying in wait."

Sonic crashes his foot down on the head of the last SWATbot. It tumbles to the ground and lands in a heap. The Hedgehog rubs the back of his heel.

"Man, there sure are a lot of these pests," he grumbles. He takes a look around, "Great. Now I've lost Sally and Miles."

"That's not all you've lost, Hedgehog!"

Sonic dodges almost effortlessly causing the missiles to careen right by, exploding harmlessly behind him. Well, as harmlessly and exploding the defeated SWATbots is.

"Well if it isn't Snot-ly," The Blue Hedgehog Sneers, "I guess all the chemicals here must have masked your rancid odor."

"BLAST YOU RODENT!" Snively howls, slamming his fist into the control console of his hover pod, sending dashing to the right for a moment before he regains control, "You just got lucky!"

"Yeah, lucky that you're such a windbag that you announced the attack before it hit me."

"Why…You little….I ought to….." Snively stumbles over his words.

"As much fun as it is to watch you choke on your own words," Sonic mocks, "I have Chemicals to blow and Tyrants to overthrow." Sonic hops over Snively's pod and giving it a slight kick to use as a boost. However Snively anticipated the attempt and whirls around using the kick to kick start his own momentum. A small sprayer pops out from below the pod and sprays a chemical towards Sonic's landing spot.

The Hedgehog barely manages to pull himself out of the line of fire and land just to the side of the spray. The reeking substance burns quickly through the pathway causing it fall away into the pinkish muck down below.

This was the first time the Hedgehog even noticed the stuff. Was that what was left of the river? No, the river should be a ways off still. One of the vats must be leaking.

"Enjoying the moat hedgehog?" Snively cackles, "Care to take a dip?" The human scientist fires more acid at the Hedgehog. Sonic now being on the ground is easily able to dodge it and jumps to another pathway.

"Naw, you go first!" Sonic kicks off the second pathway allowing more acid to shoot beneath him. He lands just next to Snively. However the Human is still one step ahead. He pilots his pod above across the collapsed pathways, leaving Sonic stranded on the other side.

"I'd love to stick around Hedgehog," Snively Chortles, "But I have a Princess to Smash and a Rebellion to Crash!"

Snively's Pod mad dashes in the direction Sonic left Sally and Miles behind.

Sonic curses. Snively somehow managed to mislead him and played him like a fool. And now Sally and Miles are going to pay the price.


	11. Slight Interruption

A Slight Interruption to Your Regularly scheduled (as in not very scheduled) Fan Fiction Chapters.

Chapters 1-9 of War for Mobius were Written in a format INTENDED for Deviant Art. It wasn't until after Chapter 9 was written I began Uploading them to . As such the format seems a bit…confusing, acting as a wall of Text instead of spaced out the way I intended. As such further Chapters will be written in a way that is easier read on . I'm also going to go back and change the previous Chapters just it may take time to fix all of them.

Also Go ahead and check out War for Mobius Side Stories. It's sorta like a spin-off to War for Mobius, but more focused on short stories that expand on characters and the world in general, rather than an overall plotline. Think of it as the SideQuests in a video game.

I hope to have Chapter 10 finished an up soon.

Thanks,

-TheRedAuthar.


	12. Chapter 10 Hot Spots

**War for Mobius**

_Act 1 Chapter 10_

Miles ducks down just in time to avoid being sprayed in the face by the strange purple liquid launching up from the pipes. It shoots over him and lands on the ground, bubbling.

"That was way to close," Miles stutters.

"That's probably the fourth of fifth time we've said that. With the stealth spiders, chemical traps, and large amount of SWATbots," Sally shakes her head, "It looks like we've fallen into one of Robotnik's Traps."

"And we've lost Sonic," Miles adds.

Sally pauses looking back the way they came, "I'm sure he's alright. In fact he's probably already ahead of us."

The fox boy tilts his head to the side, "But….if that were the case, wouldn't we have noticed him running by?"

"Sonic may be fast, but he has a terrible sense of direction," Sally explains, "He probably took the wrong corridor and shot right by us."

That was not completely true. Sonic didn't have a terrible sense of direction, just a bad habit of taking the wrong tunnel first. Usually he ended up back where he needed to be on his own, but still, everything seemed to be trying to separate Sonic from the rest of the group.

She leans against a yellow and black stripped warning sign. Not that it helped warn them about anything. All the traps usually happened before they got to the signs. Just like the one that was coming.

"Aunt Sally! LOOK OUT!"

* * *

The SWATbots halt before the closed garage door and recheck their weapons. While normally SWATbots didn't function in full combat manner, usually acting as a security or police force rather than a military force, Snively wasn't taking any chances. He had them functioning in full combat mode.

Behind the SWATs, sat their back up, a collection of other robots Snively had managed to secure for this operation. There were a few Buzz Bombers, but most of the bots consisted of the Yellow and Black Spider Grabbers and the Spiny Mobile Turrets. Snively had hoped that Robotnik would have given him access to the superior combots for this mission but the doctor had turned him down believing that the Freedom Fighters would pose little threat to his operation.

Snively decided not to take any chances. His orders were clear. March in in full combat mode and fire upon anything that moves in the garage. The Garage would then be bombed by the buzz bombers just to be extra safe. While it was probably wiser to bomb the garage first, Snively didn't have many buzz bombers to spare so he had ordered them to hold back until needed.

The Garage door swings open and the SWATbots aim their laser rifles. But there isn't any targets to shoot at, Only Communications screen that had been moved to block the garage door. It takes a few moments for the SWATbots to comprehend this, which is all the time Rotor needs to spring his trap.

With a quick flip of a switch he had jury-rigged from a few spare parts, Rotor detonates the screen. The explosions shakes the garage but destroys the first two rows of SWATbots and knocks the others off their feet.

Taking advantage of the stunned robots, Bunnie stretches her cybernetic arm out through the opening, grabbing one of the SWATbot's laser rifles. She brings it back in and hands it off to Antoine. She sends her robotic arm back crashing her fist into one of the SWATbots as it stands back up, having been knocked to the floor by the explosion. She takes his Rifle for Rotor.

Upon receiving his Rifle, the Walrus Tech Expert fires through the opening into the crowd of robots lying in wait. Antoine joins in. Neither are expert marksmen, in fact most of their shots miss their intended targets, but it does cause the SWATbots to scatter for cover.

"The SWATs will be activating their Shields now," Rotor warns his companions, "Focus all fire on those Turrets towards those buzzers in the back. And if you happen to hit those others bots in the crossfire, good for you."

"You can be counting on me!" Antoine fires again, nearly losing his footing in the process.

"Right," Gulps Rotor, "Bunnie you get our escape route open!"

"You got it sugar," Bunnie replies as she returns to the dented wall where she had been pounding away earlier. The cyborg rabbit returns her mad pounding with new resolve. If she can't bust through soon, they won't last much longer.

Rotor wipes sweat from his brow and fires again. It was only a matter of time before they were overrun. They either had to hold out till help arrived or they had to escape on their own. The odds were against them, and they wouldn't be able to take the SWATbots by surprise again. He hopes the other team is faring better than they were.

* * *

The Speedy Blue Hedgehog blasts up the spiral staircase as the bubbling purple liquid fills up the room below. He had only been in the room for a few seconds before the strange goop began to rise through the vents on the floor. Now Sonic may not be a science major, but he was pretty sure that stuff wasn't natural and probably was not good for his health. Also, while he was a master speed demon, Sonic was very much not a swimmer.

At the edge of Spiral Staircase he leaps to an overhead platform and pulls himself on top of it. Only then does he pause and check out the substance below. While it wasn't nearly as fast as he was, the lower 4 feet was now completely submerged and the stuff was still rising.

"Man," Sonic wipes his brow, "I get the feeling somebody doesn't like me very much." He looks around for another exit to the chamber but can find none on his level. He then turns his attention upward. From here he could see no other escape, but there were some more platforms up above. Perhaps an exit was still up there. If not, he was in real hot soup. Or at least he assumed it was hot. He wasn't going to stay to find out.

Taking a couple steps back to give him a running start, Sonic dashes forwards and leaps to the next highest platform he can reach. Not one to lose his momentum, Sonic uses his speed to keep moving to the edge of his new perch, turn around at the last second a leap upward again.

As he again lands on the new platform he looks around. There was a small tunnel, probably a maintenance shaft, leading through the wall. Looking back down towards the ever rising liquid, Sonic deems that he should take the chance that this tunnel could be an exit. He barrels down it as quickly as possible.

Halfway through the tunnel a large mechanical spider drops from the ceiling towards him. Sonic doesn't even slow down. Instead the blue hedgehog uses his speed to curl into a ball and continue rolling forwards, like a large blue saw blade. His speed and spines allow him the tare right though the robotic arachnid, shredding it to pieces. Sonic then, still without stopping, manages to pull himself back to his feet and continue running.

"You know, I probably should have warned the guy," Sonic mutters to himself, "Ah well. Haven't met a Robotic Spider that didn't deserve to be squashed yet."

WHAM! Sonic bounces off the door at the end of the tunnel. His head spinning, the hedgehog collapses to the floor, wondering who would do such a thing. After a moment he manages to get back on his feet and look at the door.

It was definitely thick, probably designed to hold back that strange liquid rising in the chamber. However there didn't seem to be anyway to open the door on this side. In the center of the door was a small porthole like window, which Sonic peers through to see on the other side. He can see another hall way running perpendicular to his. There is a broken warning sign lying nearby.

"Now Robotnik tells me!" Sonic groans, "Great, just great, how am I supposed to get out of here now?" He kicks the door hard hoping it budges. It doesn't, but instead the kick echoes through the tunnel.

Sonic than hears tapping from the other side of the door, and the room fills with a familiar voice, "Sonic?"

"Miles!" Sonic shouts, "Little buddy can you hear me?"

No response.

"Guess not," Sonic sighs returning to the window. The fox boy is now visible on the other side. He waves at his hero.

"Sonic! You're alright!" the two-tailed fox cheers, "How'd you get over there?"

"Never mind that," Sonic shouts through the door the loudest he can, "Can you get this door open?"

"What?" Miles leans on the window to listen.

"The door! Can you open it!" Sonic shouts again.

"I can't hear you through the door," Miles voice comes back through, "Hold on a second." With that the Fox boy disappears from view.

"No wait Miles! Come back!" Sonic shouts after the kid but still the boy can't hear him, "Peachy."

A noise fills the tunnel behind him. Sonic turns and looks back towards the entrance to see a wall of purple liquid rushing his way. He was trapped, and if he couldn't get the door open soon, he is going to be mashed against it. And if he somehow survives that, he still was going to drown.

He turns the ram the door in a vain attempt to open it when the door opens by itself. Miles stands on the other side.

"Sorry, I couldn't hear you, so I had to open the door," he says with a smile.

Sonic doesn't waste time trying to explain and dash through the opening grabbing the fox kid. He then slams back into the door trying to force it shut. "Miles shut the door before that purple stuff crashes through!"

The mutant fox jumps to his feet and runs over to a nearby switch board that had just been out of Sonic's view. Miles then press a large red button on the switch board and the door automatically slams shut, causing the blue hedgehog to fall face first over. He gets up just in time to watch through the window, the purple liquid smash into the door. The door holds well. Sonic lets out a sigh of relief.

"Miles," he turns to smile towards the boy, "Thanks."

Miles smiles wide, "Anytime Sonic. That's what heroes do."

The two laugh for a moment, ignoring the fact that the situation was dangerous, they both nearly died, and it hadn't been that funny at all.

After the laughter dies down, Sonic looks around, "So where's Sal? Wasn't she with you?"

"That's right!" Miles shouts, pulling Sonic back to his feet, "That crazy bald guy with the funny nose got her!"

"Crazy bald guy? With a mustache?"

"Nuh-uh," the fox shakes his head, "But he only had a few strands of hair on his head!"

The hedgehog gulps, "Snively! Which way did he go?"

Miles points the direction he had been headed before he got distracted by Sonic, "That way! He just popped up out of nowhere and grabbed her!"

The fox looks down at his feet, "I wasn't able to help her."

Sonic puts his hands on the boy's shoulders, "Listen to me Miles, it is not your fault. Do not blame yourself. I know when I tell my stories I act like nothing ever goes wrong on a mission, but that's just part of the story. Very rarely do things tend to go exactly as planned out here. Being a Freedom Fighter is a very dangerous job, and someone as inexperienced as you should have never been brought into this."

"Do you regret bring me?"

Sonic smiles, "Kid, you just saved my life. Even if I acted without thinking bringing you along, you've pulled your weight and proved you have what it takes to be here. You're not here for the ride Miles like I thought you'd be, we need you right now."

The young fox looks his hero in the eyes, his face beaming with pride, "You mean that?"

"You got it big guy," Sonic gives Miles a thumbs up, "Now let's go save us a Princess."


	13. Chapter 11 Chemical Bath

**War for Mobius**

_Act 1 Chapter 11_

Laser fire rips apart the garage doors and entrance. Stray bolts strike through the barred windows and the remains of the communications screen. The Garage had been barren of pretty much any defensive cover so Rotor and Antoine had been forced to hide behind the sides of the garage opening. However the lasers were starting to burn through forcing Antoine and Rotor back little by little. With so many SWATbots firing in on them, they didn't have much chance to return fire. Occasionally an opportunity fire back was available but the SWATbots' shields would dissipate the attack rendering it useless.

No, Rotor and Antoine's main focus was to keep Bunnie covered while she busted through the wall on the other side. Which meant most of the time was spent acting as a distraction, running from one side to the other just shooting back and forth. The SWATbots' orders kept them from advancing, being forced to hold back and protect the Spiny Turrets and Buzz Bombers, so for the moment Rotor and Antoine's plan was succeeding.

However, Rotor knew he wasn't going to be able to keep up this strategy for much longer. Also it was only a matter of time before Snively caught word of what was going on and changed the SWATbots' orders from protecting to attack. If that happens Rotor and Antoine wouldn't last more than a few moments.

"How much longer Bunnie?" Rotor calls back to the cybernetic rabbit.

"Almost Rotor," she shouts back, "This old wall can't take too much more of this!"

A cry comes from Antoine, "We cannot be taking more of this either!"

Suddenly a Spider Grabber drops from the ceiling above trying to clamp down on Antoine. Luckily Rotor reacts fast enough and is able to blast the 'bot before it crushes his friend. Antoine and Rotor then quickly turn their attention to the ceiling in case there are any more robots waiting above.

Luckily for them there isn't, but Rotor knows their luck isn't good enough to hold on for much longer. He could only hope Sonic and Sally were on their way to back them up, or at least taking care of Snively.

* * *

Sonic smashes the a few Spider Grabbers around the corner. Miles picks off the remaining one. The kid has been keeping up with Sonic pretty well, surprisingly enough. Sonic was actually impressed at the kid's skills and determination.

However as much as Sonic enjoyed his own ego, he can't let the kid get one now, not while Sally was in danger. So for now he'll stay quiet, but when they get back to Knothole he'll let the kid know how impressed he is.

"Sonic," Miles questions, "Shouldn't we be going?"

Sonic smiles, "Huh? Oh right. Sally's counting on us. Let's move!"

"Right!" Miles nods enthusiastically. Even though he was worried about Aunt Sally, he couldn't help but enjoy himself. He was with his Hero, saving the day. Better still, his Hero actually wanted him there. He had even saved Sonic's life once. Those kids would never laugh at him again! Everything was going so very perfectly!

But there is no such thing as a Perfect Mission. No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. No missions run one hundred percent smoothly.

Sonic and Miles round another corner and run up the next flight of stairs. The Stairs rise up behind them, cutting off their way back. Sonic looks around for a moment, "Miles buddy, this could be bad."

Surrounding them completely is a large vat of Blue liquid. Above them hovers Snively in his new battle pod. Looking at it carefully, it appears to be originally fitted for working with chemicals; however it has been recently modified to for use in combat. There are pumps and tubes for collecting chemicals and a large nozzle for launching the chemical like a projectile. The Pod also has a reinforced front making it better resistant to frontal attacks.

And Snively has Sally. She's unconscious, and Snively has her balanced on the wing of the pod. Snively cackles proudly at his achievements.

"Well Hedgehog," Snively chortles, "Ready to face me?"

"Let her go Snott-ly," Sonic growls, "This is between you me!"

"Let her go? Why should I? She's a traitor to Emperor Robotnik!" Snively Laughs louder.

"Big deal," Sonic spits, "Robotnik made it illegal to be fun and good looking too. You're probably the only one safe based on that rule."

"HOW DARE YOU!?" The overlander howls in rage. Sonic could easily get under Snively's skin. However this time it worked a little too well. Snively steers the pod over the chemicals to pump them through the tubes to the nozzle. Unfortunately when he does so Sally slips off the wing.

"Oh no! She's going in!" Miles cries.

"SALLY!" Sonic calls out to her.

* * *

Another Spider Grabber drops from the ceiling above Bunnie. Once again she forces it out of her mind and keeps pounding the wall. Just like before Rotor fires upon the robot again destroying it. The hot pieces fall around her, but she keeps on pounding. If she fails here, none of them were getting out of here alive. She couldn't allow that.

There was only one problem. The Walls on this side were thicker than the walls by the door so it was taking a lot longer than originally assumed. Worse still, a problem she kept to herself, her arm was beginning to break apart. She was not only on a race against the 'bots, but a race against her own strength. If she can't break through the wall soon, they may not get through ever.

She slams her fist against the wall again. The wall shutters but doesn't give through. She looks down to her legs. There was a chance she could kick through the wall as well. Why didn't she think of it before? Her legs were much stronger than her arm anyways. She kicks the wall hard. Again and again she smashes her foot against the wall. The wall groans loudly. Bunnie smiles to herself. This would work. She keeps up the brutal barrage against the wall, smashing it over and over, not slowing down.

Almost there. Just a little more.

Suddenly the wall gives way. It tears away crashing to the ground with a loud crash.

"I did it," Bunnie pants, "Guys, we're through!"

"Finally," Antoine cheers, "Let's begin tracking away!"

"You mean let's make tracks," Rotor corrects, "Move out!"

The trio turns and runs for the newly opened exit. The group manages to get out just before the SWATbots swarm into the garage. They open fire upon the fleeing Freedom Fighters, but the shots fall short.

"Alright guys," Rotor pants, bringing up the rear, "We need to find Sonic, Miles, and Sally before things get any worse."

How can today get any worse!? First Sonic brings Miles on a mission way to dangerous, which turns out to be a trap. To make matters worse, Sonic himself gave Snively the upper hand and now Sally is the one paying for it. Sonic can do nothing as he watches Sally sink into the blue goop. She didn't even wake up when she landed in the stuff.

"Sonic," Miles turns to Sonic, "Why don't you just go get her?"

"What do you mean?" Sonic question the kid.

"Can't you just pull her out before she sinks?" Miles asks.

"Miles," Sonic nervously smiles, "I can't swim."

An awkward silence follows. Nobody moves. It's so quiet that the wind seems to be the loudest noise there. The quiet is shattered by Snively's laughter, "You can't swim!? This is too much! I can't believe it!"

"Miles, I'm going to have to fight him," Sonic growls, "I need you to-." Sonic only then notices Miles has disappeared. He looks around in panic, hoping to find the fox kid before something bad happens to him. He spots the two-tailed fox flying above the blue liquid.

Wait a second, Flying!? Miles is spinning his two tails like helicopter blades. Miraculously this action has carried the fox over to where Sally is. Sally just barely slips under before Miles reaches down and grabs her hand; he spins around turning back to Sonic, "I got her Sonic! You take out baldy!"

"Baldy!? I destroy you, you little brat!" Snively roars at the fox boy. Snively aims the nozzle to fire at Miles, but Sonic isn't letting him get away with it. The speedy blue hedgehog jumps up and smashes his foot down on the nozzle forcing the overlander's aim off.

Unfortunately it causes the spray to fly right into Sally as Miles pulls her out.

"Sonic you're not helping!" Miles can't believe he's yelling that to his hero.

"Sorry," the older boy shouts back, "You get her to safety. I'll take care of ugly here."

"Get off!" Snively attempts to roll his pod, but the pod wasn't meant to rotate like that. It causes Snively to lose control. When he tries to regain control Sonic takes the opportunity to smash into the pilot's window. Luckily for the overlander, the reinforced windows cause the blue hedgehog to bounce right off. Sonic only barely manages to avoid falling into the drink (not that anyone would want to drink that stuff).

* * *

Miles lands just a little ways away from the giant vat. The fox turns back to go help his hero but suddenly his leg is grabbed.

"Hang on Miles," Sally groans, her head pounding, as she holds him back, "Sonic will be okay, we need to take out the facility!"

"But," Miles starts, but Sally shakes her head.

"Freedom Fighters don't leave a man behind," Sally informs, "However sometimes we have to be willing to take risks. Right now Sonic is fighting so we can have a chance. We should take the opportunity it has given us to destroy the facility."

"I understand," Miles lies, but he figures Sally would know better than he does, "So what do we do?"

"You were flying right? How'd you do that?" Sally questions.

"Oh," Miles sighs, "It was just something I figured out I could do. I figured spinning my tails would make me run faster like Sonic. Well one day I discovered spinning my tail fast enough, it would lift me into the air. The other kids thought it was freaking and made fun of me."

Sally shakes her head, "Well I find it an impressive technique. In fact, I think it's just what we need to pull this off."

* * *

Sonic smashes against the windshield again. As before the windshield doesn't give. Sonic lands back on his feet. Snively fires the sludge he's collected again. Unlike before, when Snively had his Sally by mistake, the overlander had kicked it into full power. The Spray was now fast and hard enough to cut the metal flooring Sonic had been attacking him from. Sonic dodges to the left as the spray cuts through the metal floor where he had just been standing. Another spray follows but the hedgehog keeps moving, not giving Snively a chance to aim. All he had to do was avoid the spray till Robotnik's nephew had to reload.

There was only one problem. The metal floor. How much more spray could it take before it gave way? Sonic would have to break through the windshield before that happens or it was all over. How much longer could he keep this up?

Miles flies above a vat of Red liquid. He drops one of the bombs Sally had handed him. He then makes his way for the next one. He had already dropped one in the yellow and purple vats. Now there was only a green and the blue ones left.

He wipes his brow. He's never had to fly for this long before, and the fox boy was getting really tired. This mission was more than he expected. A normal child probably would have quit, but for the first time in his life, Miles didn't feel like a freak or a loser. He felt like he was actually making a difference with these guys. It wasn't just a chance to hang out with his hero anymore. This was his chance to be a hero. This was Miles day to shine.

The Flying fox finds himself above the green vat. He drops another bomb in the vat.

* * *

Sonic bounces off the windshield again. When he lands the platform it groans. It isn't going to be able take much more.

Suddenly the whole thing begins shaking. A loud explosion echoes through the facility.

"What the heck was that?!" The overlander cries from in his hover pod.

Sonic looks over his shoulder to see another vat burning, the whole thing was going to explode. If the whole vat explodes the whole facility would go up in smoke.

"Wait," Sonic ponders aloud, "Could that be the plan?"

"What are you doing to my beautiful chemical plant!?" Snively hollers. He isn't paying attention to the hedgehog anymore. And Sonic notices.

The blue speed demon crashes into the windshield again. This time large cracks appear on it. Sonic doesn't let up, he keeps pounding. Soon the windshield is full of enough cracks to shatter.

"Wait, stop! Desist! NO!" Snively cries. He pulls a lever on his dashboard ejecting the pod's cockpit only seconds before Sonic smashes into the pod again. The explosion causes Snively and Sonic to both go flying.

* * *

Miles spots an explosion go off above the blue vat. Something was flying from it. Right towards him. As it nears Miles is able to recognize who it is.

"Hang on Sonic!" Miles calls out to his friend. Using all the energy and speed he has left, Miles flies towards his hero. He barely manages to catch the hedgehog as he passes by.

"Nice flying little bro," Sonic smiles, "How's Sally?"

"I'll take you to her. Then we gotta find the others and go!"

* * *

Since they've escaped, the SWATbots had been on Rotor and company's tail. However suddenly they just stop. They're falling back. Retreating, but why?

"It could be a trick," Rotor warns his companions, "Don't let your guard down."

Another explosion shakes the ground around them.

"I don't think so," Bunnie steadies herself; "I think Sonic and Sal might be causing a ruckus."

"My Princess has saved the day again," Antoine Cheers aloud.

"Let's head for the meeting place," Rotor suggests, "And then we can put this mission to rest."


	14. Chapter 12 Cool

**War for Mobius**

_Act 1 Chapter 12_

* * *

Rotor pants heavily as he finally collapses at the meeting place. Being a tech-head, the walrus is not built for speed, and the run he has just made pretty much wiped him out. He leans up against a large rock behind him and begins fanning himself with his yellow baseball cap. Nearby Antoine has also collapsed, less to the physical stress and more due to the mental stress.

Bunnie is the only one of the group who remains prepared for action. She looks at her mangled arm from the beating it took as it pounded against the wall back at the chemical plant. The dents are deep, and there are large cracks running down the forearm. It would probably take more than a simple patch job to fix it up. For the moment however, she decides to keep it from Rotor. It can wait till they get back to Knothole.

"How long do you think we should wait for the others?" the cyborg-rabbit asks her companions.

Rotor is only able to respond between pants, "Sally said ten minutes. If they're not back by then…"

"We head home without them," Bunnie finishes, "I don't like that plan."

"I'm not liking that plan either," the coyote adds.

"I know," the walrus shakes his head, "But we can't risk everyone getting caught. So we can't wait too long. I'm sure Sonic will-"

Rotor is cut off when if on cue the blue hedgehog skids to a stop between the trio, kicking up a large amount of dirt that comes crashing down on Antoine. The hedgehog laughs, "Sorry about that 'Twan. Sup guys, how smooth did the mission go?"

"About as smooth as a cheese-grater sugar," Bunnie replies, "What happened to Miles and Sally-girl?"

"The kid is a bit pooped, so is Sal," Sonic replies with a smile, "They sent me ahead to let you guys know they're alright."

"How'd Miles do?" Rotor asks, climbing back to his feet.

"You should have seen him Rote," the speedster beams as he begins to describe the young fox's accomplishments. The others listen intently. By the time the hedgehog has finished, Sally and Miles arrive.

"Well if it isn't the hero of the day himself," Sonic praises and gives the kid a thumbs-up.

"Freedom Fighter Miles Prower, I salute you for your Heroic Bravery," Antoine grins as he does so.

"Aw," the two tailed fox blushes, "It wasn't that big of deal…"

"Sure it was," Rotor corrects, "Not only you saved Sonic and Sally's lives today, but you destroyed Robotnik's chemical plant. Those chemicals were likely going to be used to fuel Robotnik's campaign against us."

"Go on and enjoy yourself kiddo," Bunnie continues, "Not every day do we come home from a trap with this much success."

"C'mon guys," Sally pats Miles on the head, "Let's head for home."

The others are about to say something, but Sonic puts his fingers to his lips to shush them, "Home sounds good, let's go."

* * *

About the time the Group arrives back at Knothole, Miles remembers what he had asked Sonic earlier, "Oh yeah. Sonic, you were going to tell me how to be cool remember?"

"Huh," The Hedgehog thinks for a moment, "Oh yeah, I guess I was. But I don't need to now."

"What do you mean?" the fox boy asks.

"You already know what it means to be cool." Sonic grins.

"I do? I don't understand, I just had to be a hero?"

"No," Sonic places his hands on the young fox's shoulders, "You took your weakness and turned it into a strength."

Miles looks confused, "My weakness?"

"Everyone made fun of you because of your two tails," the blue hedgehog explains, "but it was because of those twin tails you were able to save the day."

The fox ponders this for a minute and then smiles, "So the real answer is not that people need to think I'm cool, but I just need to believe I'm cool?"

Now it's the hedgehogs turn to ponder for a moment, "You could say that. Look it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, all that matters is what you think about yourself. Don't let anyone else decide if you're cool or not."

"That's kinda corny," Miles laughs, "Like the moral section on a kids T.V. program."

The hedgehog laughs as well, "Yeah, tune in next time to Sonic Says for a more well thought out moral, same Hedgehog Time, same Hedgehog Channel."

They both laugh.

After a moment the laughter dies down, and Sonic messes up the kid's hair, "You know what kid you're pretty cool."

"Thanks," Miles replies, "Now if only my name was."

"What do you mean?"

"Miles is such a boring name. I mean you have a really cool name," the fox explains.

"Don't tell anybody this but Sonic isn't my real name," the hedgehog corrects.

"It's not?" Miles scratches the side of his head.

"Yeah, but don't think you'll ever find out my real one," the blue blur smirks.

"So it's just a nickname?" Miles frowns.

"Yeah, I got it because I was such a speed demon as a kid," Sonic boasts.

"You still are a speed demon," Miles corrects.

"Speed demon is too slow for my tastes," Sonic shrugs, "Anyways, if I had to pick you a nickname, it would have to be….."

"What?"

"Tails" the hedgehog beams.

The young fox ponders it for a moment, "Well then Tails it is."

"Nice to meet you Tails," the hedgehog smiles as he stretches his hand out to the two tailed fox.

"Nice to meet you Sonic," the fox takes the hand and shakes it. The two then high five and laugh again.

"Yeesh," Sally interrupts, "You two have been laughing over there for a while now, what is so funny?"

"Oh nothing," Tails grins.

"Yeah," Sonic adds, "Nothing to do with your new hair."

"My new what?" the princess looks confused. She feels up on her hair see what the joke is all about.

"Yeah," the hedgehog continues teasing, "Blond is a good look for you, but I prefer your old color."

"Blond?!" Sally looks around for something she can uses as a mirror, finding one hanging on the side of the nearby Knothole hair salon she takes a peak. Her normally auburn-red hair was now a golden blond, and her usual brown fur carried a slight, but noticeable, orange tint to it, "What?!"

"It must have been the chemicals," Tails explains, "Something in them must have dyed your hair and fur."

Sally looks to the others, "Why didn't anyone say anything before?"

"We would have Sally-Girl," Bunnie shrugs, "But Sugar-Hog told us to keep quiet. I assumed you already knew and didn't wanna talk about it."

Sally looks around and notices that some of the local mobians have noticed and are whispering about it. It was embarrassing. She turns angrily to Sonic who gives her a mischievous smile.

"Sonic Hedgehog! When I get my hands on you…"

But it was too late, as she opened her mouth, the blue blur took off. The Princess chases after him but she knows she'll never catch him. The Freedom Fighters just laugh.


End file.
